LOS ANGELES — Fisker Inc., a manufacturer of electric vehicles, has selected Bridgestone Corp. to be the exclusive tire partner for its Fisker Ocean all-electric SUV.
The Fisker Ocean will make its global debut at the upcoming 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show, with production starting on Nov. 17, 2022.
The Fisker Ocean will run on custom-developed Bridgestone Potenza Sport tires for vehicles sold in Europe and select models sold in North America.
The bespoke Potenza Sport tires design focus on ride comfort and handling stability, and are engineered for low rolling resistance, which conserves the Fisker Ocean's battery energy by ensuring that less power is required to move the vehicle's tires, Bridgestone said.
The custom-engineered tire marks one of the first times the Bridgestone Potenza Sport premium ultra-high-performance sports tire has been combined with Bridgestone's sustainable Enliten Technology.
On average, Enliten Technology reduces the rolling resistance of a tire by up to 30% and its weight by up to 20%, the tire maker said. This equates to up to 2kg fewer raw material resources required to produce every tire. The use of Enliten Technology is key in ensuring that the Ocean's tires have low rolling resistance, while Potenza Sport's sporty pattern provides a dynamic and stable driving experience, Bridgestone said.
Bridgestone also will supply custom-designed Alenza Sport all-season tires for Fisker Ocean models sold in North America. The Alenza Sport tires are engineered with a next-generation compound that provides enhanced dry braking, wet handling and improved rolling resistance, the company said.
The Fisker Ocean's custom-made Bridgestone tires will benefit from Bridgestone's ground-breaking Virtual Tire Development technology, which enables the accurate prediction of a tire's performance without producing and physically driving it for the first part of the development process, the company said.
Virtual Tire Development cuts raw material consumption and CO2 emissions by approximately 60% and reduces product development time and speed to market by up to 50%, the company claims. The planned use of the technology in this project supports the Fisker Ocean's ambitions to be the world's most sustainable vehicle and will help to accelerate the project's development time.
The custom-engineered Bridgestone tires will be available in two tire sizes: 255/50 R20 and 255/45 R22. The 22-inch tire will be tuned to create a sportier handling balance, consistent with the elevated performance requirements of the higher power versions of the Fisker Ocean, the tire maker said.
"At Bridgestone, we see EVs as a huge opportunity to help achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and make mobility more environmentally sustainable," said Laurent Dartoux, president and CEO, Bridgestone EMIA.
"But there are still many barriers to overcome before a fully electric future can be realized, and Fisker – like Bridgestone – is working to break those barriers down. Not only making EVs more accessible, Fisker is built from the ground up with a strong sustainability agenda that we wholeheartedly support. It's brilliant to unite our shared ambitions and work together to achieve them."
"We are thrilled to work with Bridgestone, a global leader in tires and sustainable mobility, who shares our values and designed premium tires that are the perfect match for the Fisker Ocean," Fisker Chairman and CEO Henrik Fisker said.
"We have the ambition to make the most sustainable SUV featuring class-leading ride, handling, and range, and Bridgestone will play a key role in achieving this goal. We look forward to continuing to work closely together, collaborating on performance engineering and the technical development of the tires."
The Fisker Ocean SUV features extensive use of recycled materials, including a fully vegan interior, and will come with an optional photovoltaic solar roof.
The Ocean is expected to debut in the U.S. market at a starting recommended price of $37,499 (excluding EV-related subsidies).
