[Photo by Hyundai Motor Co.]
South Korea’s largest automaker Hyundai Motor Co. has teamed up with Europe’s biggest tiremaker Michelin & Cie. to develop tires that could substantially improve driving performance and fuel efficiency of its electric vehicles.
Hyundai Motor Vice Chairman Yang Woong-chul signed an agreement with Florent Menegaux, senior executive vice president of Michelin, to jointly develop an all-season tire to be mounted on Hyundai Motor’s electric car models that will be rolled out after 2020, the Korean company said Wednesday. The signing ceremony took place at Michelin’s Research and Development Center in Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Besides the development of electric vehicle tires, they also agreed to work together to boost the tire performance of Hyundai Motor cars in general, including new models for its luxury sedan Genesis G80. Under the agreement, the Korean auto giant will conduct joint research with Michelin to deliver superior driving performance, from smooth handling to reduced noise and vibration.
They will also expand cooperation in enhancing researchers’ ability through a training and exchange program. Michelin will share its knowledge on the process of tire development while Hyundai Motor provides training on vehicle manufacturing.
“This alliance is an opportunity to learn the expertise and knowhow of one of the world’s leading tire makers,” said a Hyundai Motor official. “We will work closely in sharing technologies and exchanging personnel to develop optimized tires for our upcoming electric cars.”
By Lee Seung-hoon and Kim Hyo-jin
[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]