What's The Best Place For Your Teen To Learn How...

Tire manufacturer Kumho unveils ‘green’ Fortis concept

 
4 1,013 views Jul 30, 2009

Kumho’s new Fortis allows its driver change the tread pattern at will depending on conditions

Kumho’s new Fortis allows its driver change the tread pattern at will depending on conditions

Enlarge Photo
Kumho appears to be a tire manufacturer with a little bit of a conscience. It produces millions of tires for today’s SUVs, but is acutely aware that such vehicles will have to change dramatically if they are to survive ever greener vehicular legislation. They will also have to provide a better balance of on and off-road ability. To emphasize this point, the company has created its vision of the SUV of the future in the form of the new Fortis concept vehicle.

In line with its sustainability theme, the vehicle’s bumper sections, doors, bonnet, front wings and rear hatch are all manufactured from recycled tire rubber.

Underpinning the aggressively styled body structure is a modular chassis and drivetrain concept that will be developed through subsequent designs, the platform allowing for different vehicles to be easily packaged around common parts.

The drivetrain comprises four 100hp in wheel electric motors that create a neat AWD system. This system provides off-road traction, ESP and hill descent, while the motor configuration allows for easy transition between 4WD, 2WD, FWD and RWD.

Power comes from a lithium-ion battery pack and Kumho believes the viability of such alternative propulsion will depend on the technology becoming as user friendly and convenient as petrol and diesel are today. Recharging can be done at home or via special stations with replaceable batteries.

As you’d expect for a concept vehicle from a tire manufacturer, the Fortis also features new tire technology.

Currently, the only way an SUV will provide ideal performance both on and off-road is to change the tires for each requirement. The Kumho Fortis, however, allows its driver to specify the performance required from just one set of tires by having a tread pattern that can be adjusted at will.

The tires feature metal biters in their tread that optimize off-road performance by clawing into the terrain. For on-road use, the tire cavity is inflated. This expands the rubber areas of the tire to cover the metal biters, offering high levels of comfort, noise performance and road-biased dynamic ability.



Posted in:
 
Contribute
Send us a tip Comment Contact the editor
Follow Us

People Who Read This Article Also Read

 

Have an opinion?Join the conversation!

  • Posting indicates you have read this site's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • Notify me when there are more comments
Comments (4)

  1. ma_Mike avatar Mike Posted: 7/30/2009 7:49pm PDT

    I'm glad Kumho makes tires and not cars. However, I do like the idea of in-hub electric motors. I remember some institute or something built an AWD Mini with in-hub motors. All together, it had 600hp!!! Plus the benefit of instantaneous torque and the absence of brakes.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  2. ma_Damien Thomas avatar Damien Thomas Posted: 7/31/2009 4:08am PDT

    Brakes aren't the only thing that's absent. In wheel motors means no need for drive shafts, transmission, oil sumps, differentials or an exhaust system.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  3. ma_Saabaru5 avatar Saabaru5 Posted: 7/31/2009 9:31am PDT

    The future sounds promising!
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  4. ma_secrummy avatar secrummy Posted: 8/2/2009 10:44pm PDT

    The future sounds promising!

    Yes it does, even if it looks hideous... The in-hub electric motors and related technology sounds fantastic, no they just need to wrap that stuff up in an appealing package that looks nothing like the current batch of eco-cars (like the Prius or Insight).
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

 

Have an opinion?Join the conversation!

Connect with Facebook

Motor Authority. Now with your friends.

Discover stories your friends read.
Share stories more easily.
You control what you share.
Learn more

Research New Cars

Go!


More from High Gear Media

 
 
MotorAuthority
  • Follow Us
  • Twiiter
  • Facebook
 
 
© 2011 MotorAuthority. All Rights Reserved. MotorAuthority is published by High Gear Media. Stock photography by Homestar, LLC. Send us feedback.