Electric buses, just like electric cars, are starting to getting their own dedicated tires, optimized for specifics of electric vehicles.

Because of batteries, EVs are usually heavier and, in many cases, tires need to withstand high instant torque. Another thing is the necessity to achieve low rolling resistance to extend the range.

Continental announced earlier this month that its new Conti Urban HA3 315/60 R22.5 tire is the first optimized for electric buses in city traffic.

"Tires for electric buses need to support a usually high overall vehicle weight due to the heavy electric battery and stand instant torque delivery. To master these challenges, they need to combine grip, robustness, and above-average load carrying capacity. Continental, the technology company and premium tire manufacturer, meets this new need with its new Conti Urban HA3 315/60 R22.5 154/148J (156/150F) tires. These all-axle tires for the safe electric passenger service feature superb grip and a load carrying capacity of eight tons per axle, 0.5 tons more than the standard for this tire size. The Conti Urban HA3 has an increased load index thanks to its extremely robust casing featuring high wire density and thickness. It also has a sturdy and durable tread with a high proportion of natural rubber, which increases resistance to cuts, cracks, chipping, chunking, and abrasion, and leads to a long service life and utilization of the tire’s full mileage potential. Its special urban bus tire contour layout adds to endurance and even wear, while its wide tread width ensures excellent cornering stability and handling for maximum safety in urban traffic. High-density interlocking sipes provide optimum grip and lane holding, even in extremely wet conditions, throughout the tire’s service life. The sipes are also staggered in order to reduce noise for increased ride comfort. Reinforced sidewalls ensure that the Conti Urban HA3 reliably withstands frequent curbstone contact. Thanks to its good retreadability, the Conti Urban HA3 allows for multiple service lives. Three Peak Mountain Snowflake tested, the Conti Urban HA3 is well-suited for year-round use in many European regions."

Conti Urban HA3 tire

Lutz Stäbner, Head of Product Management for Continental truck and bus tires in Europe, Middle East, and Africa said:

​​​​​​​“The new Conti Urban HA3 optimized for electric buses brings to fruition the valuable experience we’ve gathered from our recent collaboration with commercial vehicle manufacturers and municipal bus companies. Thanks to its balanced performance profile, it provides a safe, comfortable, and cost-effective solution for enabling e-mobility in challenging stop-and-go traffic.”

Source: Continental via Green Car Congress