Goodyear launches first electric-ready tire, Endurance RSA ULT, to improve cost per mile
ORLANDO, Florida—In preparation for trucking’s electric future, particularly along the final mile, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has launched the “Electric Drive Ready” Endurance RSA ULT tire as well as the Fuel Max RSA ULT for regional haul applications. Both made their public debut at American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council Annual Meeting in Orlando.
“As electrification shapes the future of the trucking industry and the last-mile delivery market accelerates at a rapid pace, we’re relentlessly innovating as we develop new tires to help fleets meet evolving expectations,” said Jessica Julian, product marketing manager at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. “The launch of the fuel-saving Fuel Max RSA and EV-ready Endurance RSA underscores Goodyear’s commitment to offering specialized tires for every application so companies can find the right solution for their fleets.”
Endurance RSA ULT
The premium 17.5" all-position Endurance RSA ULT (215/75R17.5 size) was designed to meet the load capacity needs of electric last-mile delivery vehicles, pickup trucks, and light trucks. It can still be spec’d on gas- and diesel-powered light-duty CVs. Key benefits include higher durability, better traction, and a longer lifecycle.
The tire is the first to earn Goodyear’s new “Electric Drive Ready” designation, which means it's durable enough to handle the higher torque generated by electric axles. Conventional tires may wear faster because of the instant acceleration available to EVs.
Goodyear has known there would be a need for a more robust tire to serve fleets with EVs for several years. Along with higher torque, EVs weigh more because of the battery, which can also accelerate tread wear.
“The standard [off-the-shelf] tire won't cut it and won't work with EVs,” said Cary Budzinski, senior director, North America commercial sales for Goodyear. “Because for fleets, it’s all about cost per mile, and they need a tire to run a long, long time. The Endurance RSA is really the first of what I'm sure will be many in our portfolio specifically designed for electric vehicles.”
The advanced tire technologies embedded in the Endurance RSA ULT durability include:
- IntelliMax Rib Technology to stiffen tire tread
- New tread geometry applied to the bottom of the grooves to reduce stress and casing damage
- Deep, open zig-zag tread pattern with stone-penetration protectors to help enhance traction and resist stone retention on urban streets
- Aggressive tread design with mud and snow (M+S) and three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) designations for better winter driving performance
- Durable casings to protect for maximum retreadability
The tire will be available in Q2, with more sizes rolling out mid-year, the company said.
Fuel Max RSA ULT
The 19.5” Fuel Max RSA ULT is available now in sizes 225/70R19.5 and 245/70R19.5, and it is best suited for regional, last-mile, and pickup and delivery applications and balances traction, fuel efficiency, and mileage. The tire can also be used in emergency-response and electric utility vehicles.
Here are some notable features:
- Better rolling resistance
- M+S and 3PMSF designations for all-season traction, including in the winter
- New enhanced casing for higher durability and retreadability
At TMC, Julian also showed Goodyear’s various retread options. These include severe-duty, regional, and long-haul retreads.
“A lot of our casings can be retreaded up to seven times,” she said, noting that one of the company’s sustainability efforts is to try and incorporate soybean oil into the material.
Integration with Cooper matures
Goodyear’s acquisition of fellow Ohio-based tire manufacturer Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. was finalized last summer, and integration efforts are picking up momentum, Budzinski said. He explained that Cooper fills the company’s mid-tier niche, while Goodyear is at the premium end, and Kelly Tire and Roadmaster (gained from Cooper) serve the economy class of CV customers.
Along with more market share, Goodyear can enjoy certain benefits from bringing the new brands on board.
“There are absolutely synergies because of our increased buying power and size,” Budzinski said. The wider distribution network will also help.
“At Goodyear, we also have our own chemical division,” he added. “So instead of Cooper having to go buy from a third-party vendor, now it's in-house."
Goodyear’s suite of digital tire monitoring solutions, including TPMS Plus, Tire Optics, and CheckPoint, are only available to its fleet customers, and Cooper customers fit that description. The integration needs to progress a little more before a Cooper customer can order the CheckPoint driver-over-reader monitoring system for their yard or depot.
“We're not there yet,” Budzinski said. “There are [several] steps that have to be done first before we get to that…We're still crawling before we stand up and walk on that part of the integration.
“I would say the integration is going well,” he concluded. “And Goodyear is going to stay on the forefront of industry-leading products like Endurance RSA.”
