SAN FRANCISCO — When Audi A.G.'s first fully electric sport utility vehicle, the e-tron, arrives in the U.S. next year, it will be rolling on Goodyear tires.
The Akron-based tire maker said Sept. 18 that it was selected to supply the e-tron with its Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 SUV tires in size 265/45R21.
The tires, Goodyear said, were engineered to the demands of the vehicle, including extended mileage required by electric vehicles, which operate at higher torque than vehicles with a traditional combustion engine.
The advanced construction of the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 SUV reduces treadwear, Goodyear said, adding that the tire demonstrates optimized braking and handling in all-weather conditions and at higher speeds. The SUV-optimized construction technology employed in the tire design also helps to improve cornering stiffness.
The Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 SUV features Active Braking Technology that can shorten stopping distances by nearly four feet on wet and dry roads, the tire maker said.
Goodyear's SoundComfort Technology was used in the design of the tire, The tire maker claims that technology can reduce the interior car noise by half, or up to 4 decibels.
Unveiled Sept. 18, the e-tron is among the first in a string of dedicated EVs from European auto makers that are taking aim at Tesla Inc. and other startups with Tesla-like ambitions.
The 2019 Audi e-tron, due in in U.S. dealerships in the second quarter of next year, will boast a 95-kilowatt-hour battery, standard all-wheel drive and several interconnected add-ons.
The five-seat premium crossover also has the same 0-to-60 time as a 2017 Audi A3 sedan (5.5 seconds) and the lowest top speed (124 mph) of any modern Audi except the 1984 Audi Coupe (116 mph). However, like all electric vehicles, the e-tron will featur almost immediate torque, boosting its sporty feel, Audi said.