Concept EV "ItoP" Wheels Made of CFRP

Lightweighting of Unsprung Rotating Parts Including Tires, Contributes to Improvement in Performance of Entire Vehicle.

The ItoP is equipped with special tires made from the innovative rubber material created through this program. The improved wear resistance contributes to reducing the amount of resource used in materials for tires, while the rolling resistance, which is estimated 5 percent, and the low air resistance achieved by narrowing the tire's width and increasing its diameter, directly lead to energy savings. In addition, the wheels use CFRP with introduction of a cyclic polymer structure, just like the suspension parts, which has improved the impact resistance. The lightweighting of the unsprung rotating parts, including the tires, has contributed greatly to improvement in the performance of the entire vehicle.