NEW YORK, March 12 — Volvo has announced that all of its 100 per cent electric vehicles will now be equipped with “Recharge” all-season tires. The idea is to produce fewer tires while improving the vehicles’ range. A first trial will take place in Europe to determine their advantages.
The “Recharge” line now refers to all rechargeable Volvos, whether they are 100 per cent electric or hybrid. The automatically associated tires will therefore bear the same name.
These Recharge tires are all-season tires, which means that they no longer need to be changed according to weather conditions. Above all, they are intended to be more environmentally friendly, as they could reduce energy consumption by up to 8 per cent and extend the vehicle’s range, compared to driving on winter tires. Furthermore, by using only one set of tires throughout the year, the production of aluminum rims can also be reduced, which will also have an advantage in terms of ecological impact.
According to the manufacturer, these new tires are the safest option on both dry and wet roads. Of course, friction or studded winter tires will still be available as an option, as they are still essential for particularly harsh conditions.
Volvo has not yet indicated the brand of these tires, but they will probably come from Continental. The German equipment manufacturer is to supply Volvo exclusively with its first EcoContact 6 tires, which are equipped with an RFID tag to facilitate product traceability. In fact, Continental itself recently unveiled a brand new range of tires specifically for the new and increasingly heavy electric and hybrid SUVs. — ETX Studio
