Hankook Tire announced that three of its commercial fleet tires have been certified for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Program, meeting the program’s requirement to reduce rolling resistance by 3 percent. The recently launched AL07+ steer tire, Z35a drive tire and TL01 trailer tire all provide lower rolling resistance to meet SmartWay standards designed to promote cleaner, more efficient truck technologies, the company says.
“Diminishing the carbon footprint, improving fuel economy and reducing costs are the key areas of focus for the commercial fleet industry currently,” says Brian Sheehey, commercial tires director for Wayne, N.J.-based Hankook Tire America Corp. “The SmartWay Program specifically addresses those concerns, providing fleet owners a clear means to reduce costs and help the environment. It’s a win-win, and Hankook is privileged to be a part of the solution with our SmartWay compliancy.”
Hankook says engineers at its Akron technical center in Akron, Ohio, took the lead on all compliancy testing and product development to help the tire maker secure this achievement. “Hankook consistently invests approximately 5 percent of revenue into technological innovation,” Sheehey says. “We are particularly focused on improving fuel efficiencies and lowering the rolling resistance of current and future products. We definitely plan to get additional Hankook products certified for the SmartWay Program over the next several months.”
EPA launched SmartWay in early 2004 to address the environmental and economic challenges surrounding growth in the freight industry. Through SmartWay, EPA now is working with more than 1,000 businesses to improve both their bottom line and the environment. According to EPA, SmartWay partners collectively are saving more than 595 million gallons of diesel fuel each year – slashing fuel costs by at least $2.5 billion annually – and eliminating 6.8 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming. For more information, go to www.epa.gov/smartway.
“This certification, coupled with our industry-leading warranties and competitive pricing, further enhances the value of our product offering to the 1,000 SmartWay Partners,” Sheehey says. “This is a true validation of Hankook’s innovative technology, product and performance.”
