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Designers: YongHo Kim, ChangJung Park, SooMin Kim, Pattern Research Team, KUMHOTIRE, Yongin-si, South Korea
Manufacturer: KUMHOTIRE, Yongin-si, South Korea
"ECSTA SPORT A/S" is a super performance all-season tire for owners of sedans, coupes, and crossovers. It is possible to drive on dry, wet, and light snowy roads with a delicate and comfortable ride and immediately responsive handling.
The application of new compound rubber technology has increased tire life, and it is a UHP all-season sports product with a tread pattern design, compound rubber, and tire structure technology that take into account the characteristics of electric vehicles, which are recent trends in the automobile market.
"ECSTA SPORT A/S" has applied a longitudinal groove design that incorporates tire pattern noise reduction technology to disperse the noise caused by the flow of air concentrated in the tire groove when driving. In addition, a tire structural design optimised for air resistance has been applied to reduce energy loss from the tire due to air resistance during high-speed driving, and a multi-sipe design has been applied to the tire tread pattern to enable tire use in all-season environments.
The sidewall design applies a user-friendly layout to facilitate information transmission and expresses the product's ultra-high-performance features with a dynamic graphic design.
The expanded transverse groove design applied to the tire pattern shoulder block maximises drainage performance on wet roads. This prevents hydroplaning that may occur when driving on wet roads, enabling safe driving for users, and maximises road grip when cornering.
In addition, the slope design is evenly applied to the tread pattern block to prevent uneven wear caused by tearing. This provides economic benefits to users in terms of tire costs by extending the product replacement cycle that may occur due to tire wear. The "EV Ready" icon engraved on the sidewall effectively conveys the product's characteristics to users by indicating that it can be used in both internal combustion engine vehicles and electric vehicles.
Based on the keyword “leap,” a symbol design that emphasises the brand identity was applied to the tire sidewall. This emphasises the brand’s unique identity and provides users with a design experience that is differentiated from other companies’ products.
In addition, a dynamic racing flag knurling pattern was applied to the sidewall and shoulder design to emphasise the brand image of high-performance tire products for all seasons. This increases the brand value of high-performance products and contributes to the leap forward of premium brands.
Unlike internal combustion engine vehicles, electric vehicles do not produce engine noise, so tire noise is sensitive to the user and the surrounding environment. Considering this, we applied our own patented noise-reducing groove design to minimise tire noise and prevent environmental pollution that may be caused by tire noise.
Tires, due to the nature of the product, must prioritise design that follows function over form. When judged by consumers, the two features of a design that allows for functional prediction, and an original design that is different from competitors, must be applied to the final product design.
To this end, the tread pattern was designed to meet the function of a product that can be used in all seasons by simultaneously applying zigzag 3D sipes and winter sipes to reinforce tread block rigidity and improve grip. In addition, the new hologram knurling design was applied to the sidewall to design an original product that is differentiated from competitors' products. This increases the aesthetic satisfaction of users and enhances the aesthetic design value as a premium product.