Discover the New Smart Touring AL31: How It Outperforms the AL22 in Mileage and Safety
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Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd., the global tire arm of Hankook & Company Group, said March 18 that it has launched the Smart Touring AL31, a premium tire for medium- and long-distance intercity and highway buses, in the South Korean market.
The Smart Touring AL31 incorporates Hankook’s latest truck and bus tire technologies. Compared with the outgoing Smart Touring AL22, the AL31 delivers notable gains in key areas — mileage, wet braking, driving stability and rolling resistance — engineered to improve performance on long, high-speed routes.
Most notably, the AL31 increases mileage performance by about 30% versus its predecessor, improving overall operating economy. The tire employs a decoupling-groove design proven in the North American market to help prevent uneven shoulder wear. It also features a hidden-groove design and T.W.E.S (Tread Wear Equalizer Stepper) pattern technology that alters the tread profile as wear progresses, promoting even wear and reducing stone retention to extend service life.
Hankook is offering the new tire in the domestic standard bus size, 12R22.5. With medium- and long-distance bus routes expanding and average annual mileage rising, demand for tires with superior mileage is growing; the AL31 is aimed at operators and drivers seeking better economy.
The Smart Touring AL31 is available at Hankook’s truck and bus tire specialty stores, TBX (Truck Bus Express). TBX sells tires that incorporate advanced technologies to enhance safety and durability and provides dedicated maintenance and fleet-management services. It ranks No. 1 in South Korea’s replacement truck and bus tire market. Since launching its TBX membership app in 2020, the brand has offered store visit reservations, discount coupons and complimentary warranty services to boost customer convenience and satisfaction.
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