Continental tires at the 65th IAA Commercial Vehicles Hanover
- Conti EcoPlus product range for primary use on freeways
- Conti Hybrid for regional and distribution transport
- Conti Scandinavia for winter use
- ContiRe – 3rd generation retreaded premium tires
At the 65th IAA Commercial Vehicles Show, Continental has continued to develop its range of commercial vehicle and coach tires first launched in mid-2013. Once the new tire range had been successfully established for commercial passenger traffic, Continental proceeded with the new generation of tires in the lorry and truck segment. At the international trade fair in Hanover, the German automotive supplier displayed its new 3rd generation steer-axle, drive wheel, and trailer tires for the goods segment.
The new Conti tires for freight transportation are optimized for maximum customer benefit to further lower fleet costs.
“With the systematic design of the new commercial vehicle tire ranges tailored to their specific areas of application, Continental is setting new benchmarks in the premium tire segment. We already boast one of the latest and most cost efficient product portfolios in premium tires for the goods and people segments. The new tires reduce fuel consumption, are optimized for retreading, and keep the customers’ costs manageable. All this helps increase the competitiveness of our customers,” said Constantin Batsch, Head of Truck Tires Replacement Parts EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa). The engineers have optimizedthe design and rubber compound of the treads, belt construction, carcass, and beading of all 3rd generation tires. This pushed the rolling resistance for certain tire types, such as the Conti EcoPlus line, below four kilograms per ton, earning them a place in the energy efficiency class A in EU tire classifications.
The three new 3rd generation tire ranges for freight transportation are called ‘Conti Hybrid’, ‘Conti EcoPlus’, and ‘Conti Scandinavia’.
Conti Hybrid
Continental has reacted to the growing volume of regional distribution traffic with its new Conti Hybrid tire range. These tires are designed for combined use on regional roads and highways, and are in line with the various requirements placed on heavy-duty distribution and fleet use with frequent acceleration, braking, maneuvering, and cornering on various road surfaces. Continental’s developers have redesigned the tire treads and rubber compound. The result is excellent wet driving and braking behavior combined with low rolling resistance and high service lives. At the IAA, Continental presented the 22.5 inch all-rounder specially designed for such uses in heavy commercial vehicles.The Conti Hybrid HS3 steering-axle tires were also recently launched onto the market – the Conti Hybrid HD3 drive-axle tires and the Conti Hybrid HT3 for trailer and semitrailer tires are set for market launch in 2015.
The 19.5 inch Conti Hybrid HS3 and Conti Hybrid HD3 are suitable for the 12.0 ton and over total weight segment. Equipped with a powerful overdrive reserve, these new tires carry both the higher dead weight of modern Euro 6 vehicles and varying loads, as are commonplace in regional transport. The Conti Hybrid HT3 is available in the same size and is designed specifically for use on trailers in regional transport. The tires, which have been designed with the special properties of trailers in mind, can handle the strong rotary movements in the narrow unloading areas encountered during distribution transport. The trailer tires are also suitable for a vehicle chassis with returnable containers or in the disposal sector, where the tires can demonstrate their suitability for long-distance traffic.
The Conti Hybrid LS3 steer-axle tires and the Conti Hybrid LD3 drive-axle tires are used for light commercial vehicles with a total weight of up to 12.0 tons and tire diameter of 17.5 inches. The range of use includes classical distribution trucks, municipal services, and long distance traffic on expressways. The new premium tires stand up to the various challenges of regional use with the aid of numerous product innovations, such as the newly designed tread with the cap-base concept. Together with the high tread volume and a rubber compound, specially developed in-house, this ensures a long service life. The Conti Hybrid is therefore proving its credentials as a universally suitable all-rounder in the premium segment in sizes 17.5″, 19.5″, and 22.5″. The steer-axle tires in the new Conti Hybrid range have the M+S label, while the drive-axle tires have the M+S and the “Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake” symbol (3PMSF).
Conti EcoPlus
The new high-tech generation Conti EcoPlus tires are primarily designed for use on freeways and expressways. The tires are characterized by their low roll resistance, without compromising on service life. The tires are suitable for all truck and trailer axles, with HS3 for steer axles, HD3 for drive axles and HT3 for trailer axles. The carefully coordinated concept means that the tires boast a reduction in fuel consumption of up to 1.9 liters over 100 kilometers when compared with previous generations for an equally high mileage. Key factors in achieving this increase in fuel efficiency include new polymer rubber compounds for treads and side walls, as well as the cap-base concept and its specific tread pattern design. The costs saved by the lesser fuel consumption are significantly higher than the saving made by an extended service life of the tires. The Conti EcoPlus tires therefore make a significant contribution to lowering vehicle running costs.
Conti Scandinavia
When the cold sets in, Continental recommends the use of special winter tires. Continental has a carefully coordinated tire concept for front, drive, and trailer axles specifically for winter conditions – the Conti Scandinavia range. The tires are characterized by axle-specific requirements, such as optimal steering and lateral guidance for the front axle, maximum traction and braking force on the drive axle, and significantly more road adherence when cornering and braking the trailer. The Conti Scandinavia range significantly exceeds the legal requirements for the M+S label and the “Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake” symbol. A new portfolio of winter tires is available for the major tire sizes in 17.5 and 19.5 inches.
ContiRe – retreaded 3rd generation tires
The premium offer of retreaded tires from the ContiLifeCycle factory in Stöcken, Germany helps to preserve resources and optimize total operating costs. The modern hot-retreading processes prepare high-quality carcasses for their second lease of life on a truck. Customers can choose between hot-retreaded tires from the ContiRe brand – now also including the first tires from the 3rd generation – and a comprehensive range of ContiTread tread patterns for cold retreading. The enhanced goods casing with a more rigid belt package improves the durability of the new tires, while simultaneously making them easier to retread.
The introduction of 3rd generation bus and truck tires also demonstrates Continental’s ability to implement new ideas for customers at an increasingly fast pace. Just four years after the 2nd generation was launched, the Hanover-based tire manufacturer started the launch of the new 3rd generation tires in 2013, cutting the innovation cycle in half. The 3rd generation launch is the largest product launch in Continental’s commercial vehicle tire history. Over 200 new 3rd generation products will be brought to market around the world, with more than 120 tire ranges in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region alone.
