Hiratsuka, Japan—The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced today that it has begun supplying its ADVAN Sport EV tires as original equipment for the new LEAPMOTOR C16* SUV launched by Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology Co., Ltd. (LEAPMOTOR) in China in June 2024. The tire sizes are 245/45R21 104V XL for the front and 255/45R21 106V XL for the rear.

The ADVAN Sport EV is an ultra-high performance summer tire for premium EVs. Based on Yokohama Rubber’s ADVAN Sport V107 tire for high-performance cars, the ADVAN Sport EV was developed to meet the needs of owners of EVs and other electrified vehicles. By using a compound proven to reduce tire rolling resistance and a tread pattern that enhances drainage, Yokohama Rubber has achieved a level of low electricity consumption and wet performance appropriate for premium EVs. The sidewall of the ADVAN Sport EV bears Yokohama Rubber’s proprietary “E+” mark to indicate that it has special qualities suitable for electrified vehicles.

The LEAPMOTOR C16 is a comfortable and intelligent six-passenger SUV designed for families. As LEAPMOTOR’s flagship model, it features the company’s proprietary “Four-Leaf Clover” electrical/electronic (E/E) architecture, which integrates and efficiently controls various vehicle systems.

Under Yokohama Rubber’s three-year (2024–2026) medium-term management plan, Yokohama Transformation 2026 (YX2026), the consumer tire business aims to maximize the sales ratios of high-value-added tires. One of the key initiatives under this strategy is promoting the global flagship ADVAN brand tires and the GEOLANDAR brand tires for SUVs and pickup trucks as original equipment for new cars. In the Chinese market, Yokohama Rubber is aiming to supply more tires for EVs and other new energy vehicles in particular. The company established a strategic alliance with LEAPMOTOR in July 2024.