Hyundai and Michelin to develop premium EV tyres

Hyundai Motor Group signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Michelin to develop next-generation tyres optimised for premium electric vehicles.

The signing ceremony took place at the Hyundai’s Namyang Research Center, attended by Bong-soo Kim, vice president and head of Chassis Development Center at Hyundai Motor Group, and Georges Levy, executive vice president of Automotive Original Equipment at Michelin.

According to the partners, the new agreement will lead to developing next-generation tyres for Hyundai’s “clean, smart and sustainable mobility solutions.”

“This partnership with Michelin will result in real innovations in tyre technology, solidifying Hyundai Motor Group’s position as a leader in the smart mobility industry,” said Kim. “By fully leveraging our mobility technology and Michelin’s tyre expertise, we are confident in our ability to achieve ground-breaking innovations in tyre performance enhancement and create synergies in this organic collaboration.”

Over the next three years, Hyundai and Michelin will jointly develop eco-friendly tyres with increased use of eco-friendly materials, tyres optimised for next-generation EVs, and a real-time tyre monitoring system which the companies believe will help advance autonomous driving technology.

The MoU follows the completion of the two parties’ first five-year partnership, signed in November 2017, to jointly develop an exclusive tyre for IONIQ 5 and perform experiments and analysis methods related to tyres, as well as technology exchange.

“The collaboration between Hyundai Motor Group and Michelin over the past five years contributed to the successful launch of the Hyundai IONIQ 5,” said Levy. “We are pleased to announce that the relationship has been extended for three more years to continue our work together on new technologies in favour of safer, cleaner mobility. The association between Hyundai Motor Group and Michelin is founded on the same vision and on a shared passion for excellence, performance and innovation that have become increasingly essential factors as we rise to the mobility-related challenges we all face today.”

Next-generation tyres resulting from the collaboration will find their way onto future premium Hyundai Motor Group EV models. The company said tyre technology is critical to meeting the durability requirements of tyres, as well as driving performance and electric efficiency under high load as the driving range of EVs increase.

Hyundai and Michelin plan to conduct joint research to analyse tyre wear, tyre load and road friction beyond the current standards of tyre temperature and air pressure. The new tyres are also expected to significantly improve drivers’ ride comfort by reducing vibration and noise generated by EVs at high speeds.

The companies will also explore ways to increase the use of eco-friendly materials in tyres to about 50 per cent of the total tyre weight, up from 20 per cent currently.