Tokyo – The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced today a new addition to its BluEarth lineup of fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly tires. The BluEarth-XT AE61, which is designed for use on crossover urban SUVs as a summer tire, is being launched gradually in markets around the world from this February, with the exact timing depending on the region. The BluEarth-XT AE61 will be made available in 27 sizes, ranging from 235/55R20 102V to 215/70R16 100H, with the available sizes depending on the region.

The BluEarth-XT AE61 is a summer tire developed specifically for use on crossover urban SUVs. The tire delivers the sharp handling performance drivers need on city streets and highways as well as a quiet ride that contributes to the comfort inside the SUV’s cabin. In addition, the tire’s resistance to uneven wear gives it a long useful lifespan. The tire also achieves the uncompromised combination of superior levels of wet-grip performance and rolling resistance, which provides drivers with a greater sense of safety when driving in the rain while contributing to the vehicle’s low fuel consumption.

The BluEarth-XT AE61 also features an asymmetrical tread pattern developed by Yokohama Rubber specifically to provide the performance demanded by drivers of crossover urban SUVs. The tread pattern design provides a high rigidity from the shoulder to the center rib that contributes to handling performance and resistance to uneven wear. In addition, four straight grooves combined with inside narrow grooves contribute to the tire’s outstanding wet-grip performance. Also, the use of non-penetrating grooves that suppress air-pumping noise and a five-pitch tread pattern variation have resulted in a tread pattern design that suppresses noise and realizes a superior level of quietness. The tire’s compound is a nano-blend rubber that combines silica and polymer to enhance wet-grip performance and fuel efficiency. The BluEarth-XT AE61’s profile features a smooth road contact surface shape and a mound profile that evenly distributes contact pressure to deliver outstanding straight-line stability and resistance to uneven wear.

BluEarth is a YOKOHAMA global tire brand based on the concept of being “environmentally, human, and socially friendly. In addition to the new BluEarth-XT AE61 for crossover urban SUVs, the BluEarth brand includes fuel-efficient BluEarth-GT AE51 for mid-range sedans; the fuel-efficient BluEarth RV-02 for multipurpose vehicles (MPVs); and the BluEarth-Es ES32, a fuel-efficient standard tire.