Apollo Tyres has introduced a new range of EV specific tyres for passenger vehicles and two-wheelers. The new Apollo Amperion and Apollo WAV tyre lineup will serve for the PV segment and two-wheelers, respectively. These have been developed keeping electric vehicles in mind.
With its best-in-class rolling resistance, low noise, electric tread pattern design, and aerodynamic sidewall, Apollo Amperion will serve India's hatchback, compact SUV, and sedan EV markets, including those for the Tata Nexon EV, MG ZS EV, Hyundai Kona, and other forthcoming EVs. Apollo Amperion is also the first Indian tyre to acquire the Bureau of Energy Efficiency's (BEE) 5-star fuel savings badge for the PV category. The Amperion is available with R16 and R17 rim size profiles and two alternative tread sizes: 195mm and 215mm.
The company claims that this tyre can offer as much as 8% more driving range from the battery charge. This means if your Nexon EV gives a real world range of 200km, expect as much as 8km more free of cost!
Similarly, the Apollo WAV will serve the majority of high-powered electric scooters on the market in the nation, including the TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak, and Ather 450. Given the incredibly low numbers in this area today, the company wants to manufacture EV motorcycle tyres in the next phase.
Satish Sharma, President of Apollo Tyres Ltd. for the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa (APMEA), commented on the introduction of EV tyres, Tyre design and manufacturing have always evolved along with the automobiles. Our teams have invested years of research to understand the changing dynamics and requirements of vehicles in EV space to perfect the product that we are launching today. We are already in discussions with multiple OEMs in India to supply these tyres for the electric vehicles, and will be targeting for a lions share in the EV space in India, in both PV and two-wheeler segments.
To create these products, Apollo Tyres has developed unique technology. In order to reduce noise, "AQuT Tech" (Apollo Quiet Tyre Technology) is used on tyre cavities, pattern, and construction. Additionally "BEST Tech" (Battery Energy Saver Technology), which is used in conjunction with an ultra-low RR technology bundle to help increase the battery range of an electric car. The Design Mood Board philosophy was used by the R&D Team as design inspiration. The most energy-efficient and silent organism, the jellyfish, served as the design inspiration for the Apollo Amperion, while the digital circuit board design served as the inspiration for the Apollo WAV.
In terms of price, these will be about 5% more expensive than regular tyres. This is a small amount to pay for the kind of benefits on offer for consumers.
Internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle tyres can resemble those on an electric vehicle (EV). However, the materials utilised and the construction of the tyres are significantly dissimilar. Modern polymers, traction resin, and other basic ingredients are used in EV tyres. The tyres must manage higher torque to handle the instantaneous acceleration of EVs, which calls for an upgraded tread pattern and rubber formulations.
