
SmartTouring for Long-Distance Coaches by Hankook
With the SmartTouring AL22, tyre maker Hankook has a coach tyre for long-distance travel in their portfolio. The company is anticipating that long-distance coach travel will grow in significance, and thus there will be an increasing demand for high-technology coach tyres in this category. The Hankook SmartTouring AL22 can be used on all axle positions and provides maximum ride and rolling comfort, excellent concentricity, a very low rolling noise and, as is customary with Hankook tyres, optimised rolling resistance and low wear for particularly efficient travel.
The SmartTouring AL22 is Hankook’s state-of-the-art tyre for long-distance coach travel that includes the 3-PMSF symbol for the European market. This is available in the sizes 295/80R22.5 and 315/80R22.5 and is suitable for all long-distance coach wheels in all axle positions. Klaus Krause, Vice President and Head of the European Development Centre in Hanover, adds: “During development of the SmartTouring line, we focused particularly on ride and rolling comfort as well as on a straight driving performance. The characteristics of the SmartTouring AL22 not only allow maximum travel comfort for passengers, they also maximise driving and handling comfort for the driver on long-distance trips.”
The carcass contour of the SmartTouring AL22 ensures the best suspension properties and contributes to a particularly safe driving style. The longitudinal 5-rib profile with its closed, solid central rib makes an excellent straight driving performance possible at all times. Special Multi-3D sipes guarantee both good traction and an outstanding braking response.
The bead area guarantees a particularly precise rim joint stiffness, which results in excellent concentricity and travel comfort. The individual belt layers of the SmartTouring AL22 are structurally arranged in such a way that significantly less heat is developed in operation compared with conventional tyres. This effect not only reduces rolling resistance, thus economising on fuel, it also considerably extends the service life of the tyre.
Fuel savings through reduced heat development have been achieved not only by the belt structure but also by the tread compound used for the Hankook SmartTouring AL22. Special soot molecules with a larger volume and a particularly stable structure are used for the basic tread rubber in particular, leading to a significant reduction in energy loss during movement. These so-called highly structured carbon molecules also guarantee enhanced abrasion resistance and, in combination with the other technologies, help to increase the mileage of the SmartTouring AL22 compared with conventional products by more than 17 percent.

Introducing Hankook’s SmartTouring DL22
Hankook is also promoting the drive axle tyre for long-distance coaches in Europe, SmartTouring DL22. Along with the SmartTouring AL22, Hankook has a complete portfolio of coach tyres available for long-distance routes. The company is responding to the growing importance of travelling long-distance by coach and to the increasing demand for high-tech coach tyres with low rolling noise, a high ride and rolling comfort.
With the introduction of the SmartTouring DL22 in the past, Hankook offers a complete portfolio of coach tyres for long-distance routes to its coach fleet customers. The company is responding to the continuing increase in long-distance coach travel. The tyre maker is rounding off its range in this segment with tyres for the drive axle for use on long-distance coaches.
The SmartTouring DL22 has a particularly low noise level and therefore offers high ride comfort. The special tyre tread design guarantees uniform tyre wear even during permanent use and makes a high mileage and long service life possible. Like most drive axle tyres from Hankook, the all-year tyre has the 3PMSF symbol and M+S marking. The 3D sipes arranged in a V-shape make top grip and traction properties possible in the snow and wet, without having a negative effect on the mileage performance. The sipe technology of the SmartTouring DL22 also provides good longitudinal and lateral grip as well as directional and lateral stability. Low rolling resistance on the SmartTouring DL22 makes efficient fuel consumption possible.