BKT announced in a Jan. 11 press release the launch of its tire family specifically tailored to electric equipment: the E-READY series.

E-READY made its debut at SIMA on the AGRIMAXFACTOR tire (BKT's all-new 70 series designed for tractors), though the company says it will be extended to all products in this category in the future.

In the press release, BKT gave the following explanation for why tires specific to electric applications are necessary:

Trials and field tests have revealed that, in order to equip an electric vehicle, designers will have to take into account various factors that characterize electric mobility: weight, engine structure, range and noise.

Electric vehicles weigh more because their batteries may be adding up to 30% extra weight, something that affects the work of the tire. 

Not only are they heavier, they also move differently than vehicles running on natural gas or gasoline: the vehicle immediately hits maximum power when stepping on the accelerator. This means that load shifts can be faster and more intense than in conventional vehicles, with a consequent effect on tire wear.

Energy autonomy also plays a decisive role. If an electric vehicle is designed for energy savings, tires should also be designed not to affect vehicle consumption, such as the case of rolling resistant tires.

Last but not least, manufacturers are investing heavily on research in vehicle/tire consistency, even in terms of noise. 

As a result, BKT says the E-READY tire has greater stress resistance, a redesigned bread structure for better grip on the rim and adapted tread compound and pattern to make the tire less energy intensive.

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