Continental touts EV tires, OE fitments in Europe

HANOVER, Germany—If electric vehicles are the future, Continental A.G. has it covered.

The tire maker is touting three tires it says meets the needs of every EV segment. As proof, Continental pointed to its OE fitments, saying it has secured fitments with six of the world's 10 highest volume manufacturers. Among the models sporting Continental tires as OE are the Tesla Model 3 and Model S, Volkswagen ID.3 and models offered by China's BYD.

At the same time, Continental said its tires have earned approval from eight of the 15 most popular electric cars and vans in Europe, covering 40 percent of all EV models produced on the continent.

"Fully electric models are now available from almost all car segments, from cabin scooters, small and mid-size cars to SUVs and high-performance sports cars. Individual tire configurations are required for each vehicle type," Andreas Schlenke, tire developer at Continental, said in a statement. "… In fact, we have already been working for over a decade on developing our existing portfolio so that they meet the requirements of all electric vehicles and, at the same time, are able to sustainably reduce emissions from combustion vehicles as well."

Additionally, Continental notes that it offers summer-, winter- and all-season aftermarket fitments for nearly every EV model available today.

Designing tires for EVs is tricky because it requires tire makers to fundamentally reshape tire characteristics that traditionally haven't aligned.

"The development of tires is always a technical conflict of objectives," Schlenke said. "For example, a high rolling resistance can result in greater safety, but also higher energy consumption. Therein lies the skill of our engineers to improve both dimensions at the same time."

Three Continental tires have achieved these aims, according to Schlenke: The EcoContact 6, PremiumContact 6 and Sport Contact 6. Each, Continental said, is designed with a particular EV segment in mind, and they all achieve the performance and safety standards set by the tire maker.

The EcoContact 6 employs Continental's Green Chili 2.0 rubber compound, which uses natural rubber and other components to significantly improve behavior during mechanical deformation. This, the tire maker said, reduces rolling resistance and energy consumption, ultimately improving range. Continental added that the EcoContact 6 shows a 15 percent improvement in rolling resistance when compared to its predecessor.

In addition to reducing rolling resistance and extending battery range, the PremiumContact 6 is designed to balance sportiness and comfort.

The SportContact 6, meanwhile, is designed to improve handling and steering precision and is targeted at the top-performance segment. Stability and brake performance allow it to provide safety at high speeds, Continental said, while working to reduce noise.

"High-quality vehicles with a high level of comfort therefore also use ContiSilent technology when it comes to their choice of tires," the tire maker said. "A special foam layer absorbs the vibrations of the road and therefore reduces the transmission of noise into the vehicle interior. This is particularly important for electric vehicles, as there are no engine noises and the motor runs very quietly."