Yokohama Tire Corporation to Debut 101ZL Commercial Tire at the Mid-America Trucking Show
The eco-sensitive 101ZL, which will debut in booth 14124 at the upcoming Mid-America Trucking Show, March 25-27 at the Kentucky Expo Center, Louisville, Kentucky, is a new, premium long-haul steer tire, that, according to John Cooney, Yokohama director of commercial sales, `runs longer, and is more trouble-free and efficient than anything we`ve ever brought to the market. The 101ZL provides at least a 10-percent increase in overall tread life and significant resistance to irregular wear.`
The tire has been added to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency`s (EPA) SmartWay list of verified technologies for tires. Yokohama now has seven tires that are recognized as SmartWay `low rolling resistance tires.`
The 101ZL features `incredible durability, excellent longevity and remarkable fuel efficiency,` said Cooney. `It`s the perfect addition to our Zenvironment line, which uses cutting-edge technology to produce truck tires that last longer and are more fuel efficient, thus helping to protect the environment.`
The other tires in Yokohama`s Zenvironment line are the 703ZL™, 103ZR™ and 501ZA™.
The 101ZL will be available in October 2010 in these four sizes: 295/75R22.5, 11R22.5, 11R24.5 and 285/75R24.5. Highlights of the tire include:
- Zenvironment construction, which controls casing growth and greatly reduces strain energy in the shoulder and bead areas for low rolling resistance and better fuel efficiency.
- Contact pressure equalizer sipes that optimize rib contact pressure to resist uneven wear and improve wet weather braking and handling.
- Stress equalizer ribs that increase road contact at the shoulder`s edge, which is ideal for withstanding step-down wear.
- Serpentine grooves which add rigidity to the shoulder for greater tear resistance.
- Multiple sipes that create an ideal footprint for optimal rib edge contact pressure that helps to eliminate irregular wear.
The 101ZL joins the 103ZR and RY617™ steer tires, RY587™ and RY587MC2™ trailer tires, and 703ZL and TY517MC2™ drive tires as products that are verified for use on SmartWay-certified trucks. The tires meet the SmartWay program`s tough verified low rolling resistance criteria, which include running cooler and helping to reduce fuel consumption, which in turn cut costs and benefit the environment.
SmartWay Transport, a collaboration between the EPA and the freight sector, is designed to improve energy efficiency and energy scrutiny, and reduce greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions.
Yokohama is also a `Partner` in the SmartWay program, with status in the `shippers` category. This designation means Yokohama ships more than 50 percent of its products on SmartWay-designated transport carriers.
