Hankook iFlex airless tyres: fifth prototype can now be used up to 130 km/h – could it be close to production?

Hankook iFlex

What are two of the biggest headaches one can have when it comes to driving? The first would have to be a car breakdown, and the other, a punctured tyre. While both would leave you immobilised, the former might be unavoidable, but the latter, however, could see a revolutionary gap bridged, or a ‘puncture’ sealed forever.

Korean tyre maker Hankook might inch us closer to that. The Hankook iFlex is the company’s latest non-pneumatic tyre (NPT) which could very well see mass production soon.

The airless tyre concept, now in its fifth prototype form, uses uni-material, which is said to be eco-friendly, easily recycled and less toxic. The company adds that because the uni-material used to mould the iFlex recycles easily, the construction of the airless tyre has brought about greater energy efficiency in terms of manufacturing, new tyre construction techniques and has halved the manufacturing process from eight stages to just four, thereby reducing the company’s carbon footprint.

The iFlex has undergone exhaustive on-road tests to assess the tyre’s durability, hardness, stability, speed and even performance through high-speed slaloms. According to Hankook, speed tests were done in an electric car equipped with the iFlex, where the tyre successfully managed speeds of up to 130 km/h.

Airless tyres aren’t something new among tyre manufacturers though. Michelin first unveiled its own NPT back in 2005 – the hideous-looking ‘Tweel’ – while Bridgestone premiered its second-generation airless tyres at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, which they simply called the “Air Free Concept Tyre.” Which one will be the first to market such a tyre for real, we’ll have to wait and see.

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Graham Chin

Having spent a number of years as a journalist for a local paper, a marketing executive for a popular German automotive brand and a copywriter, Graham, a true-blue Sarawakian, knew he had to take the leap back into the motoring scene - and so he did. To him, nothing’s better than cruising for hours along a scenic route, in a car that’s designed and built for that purpose.

 

Comments

  • Songlap Culture on Jul 16, 2015 at 3:36 pm

    Good invention but come to Malaysia, it will be RM3000 per piece because our RM has no more global value.

    Why our RM got no more global value? It is because everybody songlap. Now people songlap in the billions each.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 49 Thumb down 48
    • Why the negative attitude..the doom sayer…the motivation killer..sigh

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 13
    • Lets say once its widely used around the world and then only arrive in MY, I will bet you that it WONT cost RM3000 per piece. Lets put a set of 4 tyres to the wager.

      Do you accept or you got no telur?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 4
    • alldisc on Jul 18, 2015 at 9:20 pm

      As a rubber producing nation, mlaysia has attracted many tyre manufacturers to setup plants for local use as well as export. Bcoz of that, any imported rubbers are subjected to super high taxes. This explains why tyres can be so expensive. But i wonder also why indonesian made falken are relatively cheap.

      My comments for this hankook tyres – it has pro and cons. Michelin’s tweel has a built in wheel intergrated with tyre as 1 unit. Advantagr is it performs better as a unit.

      The downside is – every car using tweel will look same when hankook tyres can be matched with different looking sports rims

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • autodriver (Member) on Jul 20, 2015 at 9:46 am

        “But i wonder also why indonesian made falken are relatively cheap.”

        let me explain to your why.

        1. Indonesia rubber is cheaper than Msia
        2. Land cost is also very cheap
        3. Labour cost much cheaper than Msia
        4. Government given a lot of support such as building power plant nearby the factory, bitumen road, lower taxation (condition is must employ certain number of local citizens) and so on.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Bravo, besides convenience, this can also be translated into bigger cargo area, less overall weight and thus better fuel consumption. No forgetting its Eco-friendly nature…

    ps – lady drivers will jump with joy..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0
  • Bryan on Jul 16, 2015 at 4:15 pm

    Bye-Bye Malaysian Rubber?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 3
  • Bryan on Jul 16, 2015 at 4:18 pm

    Bye Bye Malaysian rubber

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
  • Looks like Nike Shox for cars.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • marieta on Jul 16, 2015 at 6:34 pm

    So they came in colors ! I badly want one…pink color please !

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
  • Would be perfect for Toyota, as all Toyota’s and Lexus are designed for a maximum speed of 110km/h.
    And as the tires can now be used up to 130 km/h, there’s still 20km/h safety.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  • Anonymous on Jul 17, 2015 at 11:19 pm

    Quote:
    two of the biggest headaches one can have when it comes to driving… car breakdown, and the other, a punctured tyre. While both would leave you immobilised…

    Today, you have the third, which is dual clutch breakdown that leave you immobilised. :(

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
    • Heng Lee on Jul 18, 2015 at 3:33 pm

      I guess that an exploding shrapnel-airbag from Toyota will cause headaches too? At least when the shrapnels are sticking in your face and head…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
      • Airbag from Takata.

        Affecting existing car from:
        Acura, Lexus, BMW, Mazda, Chrysler, Mitsubishi, Dodge, Nissan, Ford, Subaru, General Motors (includes Pontiac, Saab), Toyota, Honda and Ferrari.

        What about Airbag, not Made by Takata?
        read this: http://goo.gl/uQlmIj

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • At least this is the a article that Sam Loo can not say “As long as it’s not a kimchi, it will have RV”

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • thepolygonal on Jul 20, 2015 at 9:44 am

    I scared pasang today, esok cars on bricks… tayar kena curi…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Speaking of Malaysian Rubber. Why doesn’t Malaysia manufacture these and EXPORT their own product. Start with bike tires. I am willing to test them out. 26X1.95 saiz please!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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