PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — TBC Corp. has begun to sell the Sailun ERange dedicated electric vehicle tire in the U.S. through its various sales channels, including its controlled and franchised retail chains and through its NTW wholesale network.
Brampton, Ontario-based Sailun Tire America introduced the tire, Sailun Group Co. Ltd.'s first foray into the EV market, to North America late last year.
The tire will be available in the U.S. through TBC's Tire Kingdom Service Centers and NTB Tire & Service Centers chains, the franchised Big O Tires and Midas vehicle service chains, and to independent dealers through TBC's National Tire Wholesale business unit.
The ERange EV is built at Sailun's factory in Svay Rieng, Cambodia, using Sailun's proprietary EcoPoint3 liquid-phase rubber-compounding process, technology that has been in development for five years. It allows rubber compounding materials to be mixed uniformly under continuous liquid-phase conditions, creating a more consistent rubber compound mix, Sailun said.
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TBC said the ERange offers the right balance of tire life without sacrificing grip or traction on wet and dry road surfaces.
Kyle Sanders, director of consumer product marketing for TBC Brands, predicted the tire will "impact our product portfolio by providing long-lasting wear, and a quiet, comfortable ride while addressing consumer fear of 'range anxiety' all at an unmatched price."
The all-season tire has a reinforced sidewall to help with the increased load-bearing capacity of the vehicle's battery while delivering crisp handling and cornering. The ERange features SilentTread technology and a variable pitch sequence for a quiet ride.
TBC Corp. distributes the tire exclusively in the U.S.
The tire is available in 32 sizes ranging from 15- to 22-inch rim diameters. The ERange comes with a 45,000-mile limited treadwear warranty and a one-year tire road-hazard protection plan.
