Pirelli homologated 10 different tyres to equip the Lotus Eletre, the British performance brand’s very first electric hyper-SUV. With different front and rear tyre sizes, this new car benefits from a 22-inch (275/40R22, 315/35R22) and a 23-inch (275/35R23, 315/30R23) P Zero, both available with and without Seal Inside technology, as well as a 22-inch P Zero Corsa (275/40R22, 315/35R22). All these tyres were designed to meet Eletre’s requirements, from world-class dynamic performance and excellent steering feel, to range and comfort in all driving conditions.
A testament to the dedicated development programme for these new tyres is the LTS marking on the sidewalls, while the Elect marking identifies the package of technologies that complements the characteristics of electric vehicles.
“When developing high-performance tyres for a dynamic BEV like the Lotus Eletre, we had to raise the technological level to identify new solutions that meet the needs of a market that is experiencing a real revolution, faster and more challenging than ever before. As with cars, tyres are also changing in many more ways than they might appear. For us it is essential to work alongside prestige car manufacturers, such as Lotus, because it allows us to imagine and then carry out this evolution together.” – Dario Marrafuschi, Head of Product Pirelli.
“During the last several months, we conducted intensive testing on challenging tracks such as the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife, and the Pirelli team did a great job developing tyres with the absolutely right performance for our new and dynamic all-electric vehicle.” – Dr. Flavio Friesen, Senior Chief Engineer of Vehicle Integration of Lotus Tech Innovation Centre, Deputy General Manager of Lotus Tech Research Institute.
ELECT TECHNOLOGY SPECIFICALLY FOR ELECTRIC CARS
Pirelli’s Elect tyres for the Lotus Eletre have an optimised footprint and specific compounds that maximise grip, reducing wheelspin under acceleration caused by the instant torque from electric motors. The tyre engineers also worked on an optimised structure to provide outstanding handling performance and steering feel. Another focus, to deliver a well-balanced attribute setting, was acoustic comfort. Pirelli Elect tyres are designed to reduce rolling resistance, making journeys quieter and more comfortable. These attributes are certified by the European tyre label: all sizes have an ‘A’ rating for wet grip, and nearly all of them score ‘A’ for noise as well.
SEAL INSIDE ANTI-PUNCTURE SYSTEM
To make the 22 and 23-inch tyres for the Lotus Eletre even safer, Seal Inside technology is available as an option, making its debut for tyres of these sizes. Seal Inside is a self-sealing system that maintains the air pressure within a tyre even after a puncture, allowing journeys to continue.
VIRTUAL DEVELOPMENT
The bespoke P Zero and P Zero Corsa tyres for the Lotus Eletre are the result of a state-of-the-art development process carried out with the help of virtual design tools. The tyre specification was defined using 3D modelling before any physical prototypes were produced, allowing much more detail to be incorporated into the design cycle, and making the interaction between Pirelli and the carmaker even more efficient.
Source: Tyretradenews
