HANOVER, Germany—Continental A.G. is looking to gain traction on snowy, icy roadways with its latest truck tire offering, a high-performing winter tire dubbed the Conti Scandinavia Extreme HD3.
A drive-axle tire, the Scandinavia Extreme HD3 is ideal for trucks, buses and coaches used in regional distribution settings that may require traveling hilly, snow-covered roadways. Continental said the tire offers traction, mileage durability and performance.
Designed to handle oversized loads and high torque, the tire is best suited for trucks with only one drive axle, and as a result, may struggle to find traction on icy or snowy roads.
The tire's tread features the most sipes (more than 1,000) of any winter truck tire Continental has introduced. Combined with wide lateral shoulder grooves, this helps to ensure traction in soft snow and throughout the life of the tire.
"The sipes with anti-slip design of the three-dimensional sipe surface have a dual function: They act as an interlocking structure between the blocks to reduce slippage and deformation, (and) at the same time, they provide more surface area for optimum grip on snowy roads and thus greater traction," Continental said in a news release. "The tread pattern with variable sipes of different depth increases the mechanical stability of the blocks. A 'tube' attached to the underside of the sipes reduces stress build-up in the tread pattern and thus increases the mileage of the tire."
The tire's compound—which contains a large amount of natural rubber—helps to maintain elasticity, even as temperatures dip below freezing. The German tire maker said it was targeting countries such as Norway, Sweden and Finland, which often experience extreme winter conditions and temperature drops below -50°C, require higher performing winter truck tires.
The tires are available in size 295/80 R 22.5. Additional sizes—315/80 R 22.5 and 315/70 R 22.5—will be rolled out by mid-2021.