EcoContact 7 and EcoContact 7 S: Continental has unveiled its most efficient tyres to date

Continental has introduced the new EcoContact 7 summer tyres and their sporty EcoContact 7 S version. The focus is on increased performance, and for this the engineers took inspiration from a seemingly unobvious source - golf balls.

The outer covering of a golf ball has between 300 and 450 depressions. They are made for a reason. The dimples reduce air resistance and at the same time provide more lift and a more accurate and longer flight.

Continental decided to apply this principle to tyres by creating the 'Aerodimple' structure - hundreds of tiny dimples along the sidewalls of the tyre. According to the company, the dimples in the sidewall of the tyre reduce air turbulence behind the tyre, so the vehicle has to use less energy to move the wheels.

In addition to the unusual design, the EcoContact 7 has a new Green Chili 3.0 compound that reduces rolling resistance. In the sporty 7 S version, the compound is slightly modified for better grip, especially in the wet. It also uses Smart Energy Casing technology, which, according to the manufacturer, reduces internal friction. The tread pattern also helps to reduce noise levels.

The tyres are aimed at electric cars, where every percentage of efficiency affects the range. However, they are also suitable for cars with internal combustion engines. In the EU, these models are rated Class-A for rolling resistance and Class-B for wet braking and noise.

The new range of Continental tyres has already been approved for use on Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and BYD cars. So it is not excluded that soon we will see them not only in Europe, but also in other markets.

Source: Continental