TOKYO—Toyota Motor Corp. has selected tires from Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. as original equipment for the new model of its hybrid vehicle Prius, the tire maker said on April 11.
In Japan, Oceania and Europe, the Prius will be equipped with BluEarth E70 tires, while Prius models sold in North America will sport BluEarth S34 tires. In other countries, ASPEC A349 tires will be used.
The OEM tire sizes are 215/45R17 87W for the BluEarth E70 tires, P215/45R17 87V on BluEarth S34 tires, and 195/65R15 91H for the ASPEC A349 tires.
The new Prius was launched in Japan on Dec 9, 2015, and is scheduled for successive launches in other countries.
Yokohama's BluEarth tires are designed to provide increased safety, comfort and higher fuel efficiency. They are, it said, increasingly being adopted as original equipment on many new model eco-cars and hybrid vehicles.
The E70 is targeted for use as a summer tire on passenger vehicles, while the S34 is an all-season model.
The ASPEC A349 is a summer tire on passenger vehicles, which is said to provide enhanced drivability, safety and comfort.