Hankook Tire launches road show with hydrogen-powered Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell truck

Global leading tire company Hankook Tire collaborates with Hyundai on the road show about sustainability in logistics organized by H2 Green Power & Logistics. For this purpose, a Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell, the vehicle manufacturer’s first hydrogen-powered truck, will be sent on its journey around Germany fitted with Hankook SmartFlex tires. The tour started at the end of November and will visit the Hankook headquarters in Neu-Isenburg and also the new Hankook Logistics Centre in Magdeburg.

Neu-Isenburg, Germany, December 1, 2021 – Global leading tire company Hankook Tire, along with its partners, is promoting the issue of sustainability and ecologically optimized supply chains with a newly launched road show. A Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell fitted with Hankook SmartFlex AH31 and DH31 tires will make its journey around Germany from November to December 8, 2021. Hankook is working with H2 Green Power & Logistics GmbH, a company that is dedicated to building an ecosystem for green hydrogen in the commercial vehicle sector. One of the plans the company is working on is to set up company filling stations. In addition, a cooperation with H2 MOBILITY Germany ensures that public hydrogen filling stations are also available. H2 MOBILITY is the world’s largest hydrogen filling station operator and today operates 87 of the 91 public H2 stations in Germany alone.

“Hankook has been a reliable tire partner in the fleet sector for a long time. I am therefore delighted that the tires for the Hyundai XCIENT truck have allowed us to make an important contribution towards establishing hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles and ultimately towards climate-neutral logistics,” says Manfred Zoni, Truck Sales Director at Hankook Tires Germany.

Hankook is setting clear targets such as using 100 per cent sustainable raw materials by 2050 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent compared to 2018, as mentioned in the tire manufacturer’s ESG report. The company is involved in various initiatives for corporate sustainability practices such as the UNGC (United Nations Global Compact) and supports environmentally friendly guidelines such as those concerning the production of sustainable natural rubber.

A core element of the tire manufacturer’s efforts for sustainable business lies in truck retreading technology. Hankook illustrates the advantages of this sustainable “increased life” concept by employing SmartLife Solutions. Hankook’s commercial vehicle tires are designed in such a way that they can be retreaded several times thanks to their high-quality carcass. These features not only allow fleet companies to do good for the environment, but also to exploit significant economic benefits thanks to greatly increased overall mileage.

“Without using hydrogen (H2) in industry and transport, which can be stored and transported, the energy transition is currently considered unattainable. H2 Green Power & Logistics GmbH, based in Münster and with a branch in Magdeburg, shows that medium-sized companies can also play a role in this enterprise. The business model includes a complete ecosystem for green hydrogen in commercial vehicle mobility and later also for large stationary customers,” says Dr Ludger Hellenthal, managing partner of H2 Green Power & Logistics GmbH.

Hankook’s all-round SmartFlex AH31 (steer axle tire) and SmartFlex DH31 (drive axle tire) were selected for the road show to make sure the truck is well equipped. Commercial vehicle customers can rely on these profiles in particular due to their high driving safety and increased load-bearing capacity. The SmartFlex AH31 and SmartFlex DH31 both feature the M+S symbol and the snowflake (3PMSF) symbol, ensuring good traction even in surprising winter road conditions. The drive axle tire also has a 6-rib tread pattern with 6-angled tread blocks. This ensures wear and tear affects the tire more evenly, and increases the life of the tire. Hankook-patented self-cleaning sipes in the center of each block prevent damage to the block edges, ensuring excellent traction performance throughout the tire’s life.