Tire Technology International
  • News
    • A-D
      • Appointments
      • Apps
      • Awards
      • Business
      • Certification
      • Components
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Data management
      • Design
      • Distribution
    • E-N
      • Education
      • Factory logistics
      • Headquarters
      • Industry 4.0
      • Investments
      • Machine Vision & Inspection
      • Manufacturing Facilities
      • Materials
      • New tires
    • O-S
      • OE Fitments
      • Partnerships
      • People
      • Regulations
      • Research & Development
      • Retreading
      • Sales facilities
      • Show News
    • S-Z
      • Simulation
      • Sustainability
      • Testing & Analysis
      • Tire Building
      • Tire handling
      • Tire Modeling & Digital Tools
      • Tire Recycling
      • TPMS & Electronics
  • Features
  • Online Magazines
    • July 2023
    • March 2023
    • Annual Showcase 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • 年国际轮胎技术年刊
    • Archive Issues
    • Subscribe Free!
  • Opinion
  • Videos
  • Supplier Spotlight
  • Events
LinkedIn Facebook Twitter
  • Automotive Interiors
  • Automotive Testing
  • Autonomous Vehicle
  • Automotive Powertrain
  • Professional Motorsport
  • Media Pack
LinkedIn Facebook
Subscribe
Tire Technology International
  • News
      • Appointments
      • Apps
      • Awards
      • Business
      • Certification
      • Components
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Data management
      • Design
      • Distribution
      • Education
      • Factory logistics
      • Headquarters
      • Industry 4.0
      • Investments
      • Machine Vision & Inspection
      • Manufacturing Facilities
      • Materials
      • New tires
      • OE Fitments
      • Partnerships
      • People
      • Regulations
      • Research & Development
      • Retreading
      • Sales facilities
      • Show News
      • Simulation
      • Sustainability
      • Testing & Analysis
      • Tire Building
      • Tire handling
      • Tire Modeling & Digital Tools
      • Tire Recycling
      • TPMS & Electronics
  • Features
  • Online Magazines
    1. March/April 2025
    2. November 2024
    3. Annual Showcase 2024
    4. October 2024
    5. July 2024
    6. March 2024
    7. 年国际轮胎技术年刊
    8. Subscribe Free!
    Featured
    28th April 2025

    In this Issue – March/April 2025

    Online Magazines By Web Team
    Recent

    In this Issue – March/April 2025

    28th April 2025

    In this Issue – November 2024

    11th December 2024

    In this Issue – Annual Showcase 2024

    21st November 2024
  • Opinion
  • Videos
  • Awards
    • Tire Technology International Awards 2025
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2020 Winners
    • Previous Winners
  • Supplier Spotlight
  • Events
LinkedIn Facebook
Subscribe
Tire Technology International
Features

Yokohama’s new winter tire features specially developed compound

Matt JoyBy Matt Joy9th January 20203 Mins Read
Share LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Yokohama is venturing into new territory with its RS02 radial snow tire, an offering that has been developed to give G2 graders optimal winter performance. Two years in development, the RS02 is designed to provide superior grip on snow and ice as well as durability in extreme conditions.

For civil and utility services, harsh winter conditions can present significant challenges, as Tom Clauer, Yokohama Tire senior manager of commercial and OTR product planning explains, “There are road-service agencies, such as ‘county shops’ and municipalities in the upper states and Canada, that need to maintain and clear non-interstate roads and city streets in winter months. This service is vital to residences and businesses where snow/ice accumulation can be a challenge. The RS02 addresses the needs these entities require to be efficient and effective in performing these duties.”

Key features of the RS02 (below right) are its new compound and tread design, with biting edges for improved traction and grip in snow and ice, alongside a large bead bundle in a hexagonal design created for additional strength and reduced slippage.

Reliability has also played a significant part in the development of the tire, with a high turn-up construction for maximum lateral stability and additional sidewall protection. The Yokohama-specific OTR belt wire is designed for improved puncture resistance, while an omnidirectional tread pattern saves time and effort during fitment.

At the heart of the RS02’s performance package is a compound designed specifically for the unique challenges that extremes of weather present. This was a significant challenge during the development process, as Clauer explains, “In cold temperatures, the product can become harder and less flexible. Because of this, we needed to develop a compound that reduced this effect. The RS02 was designed to stay supple so it does not need to rely on warming up to achieve optimized performance.”

Another significant challenge during the program for the RS02 was creating an effective tread pattern. With an OTR tire requiring outsized tread blocks for traction, durability and strength can be compromised as a result. Combine that with the difficulty of designing a pattern that is simultaneously capable of shifting large quantities of soft snow and biting into solid ice, and there are clear obstacles.

“The tread design is unique because it allows the tire to be able to grip on ice, evacuate snow and slush, and at the same time, be able to resist damage,” comments Clauer. “The compounding has to be very specific, as well as the tread design. The conditions in which these products are used are unique. In the past, operators have had to make do with products that were designed with other targeted performance goals but would perform somewhat satisfactory at best. The RS02 is designed to address those performance gaps, providing companies with increased efficiency in terms of man-hours as well as equipment usage.”

While the RS02 is a viable option for individuals that want the security of harsh weather performance, the need to provide a tire for essential services that have to operate whatever the conditions brings its own pressure – lives could depend on a particular vehicle making it through.

The RS02 has been developed with this in mind, and it is something that Yokohama has plenty of experience in. “Yokohama products have a reputation for durability: this is paramount in any and all products we develop. The compounds and tread designs are unique and come from years of experience in severe-weather condition operations across the globe. They also provide a certain level of safety and security for the users while operating in harsh conditions,” Clauer says.

Share. Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Email
Previous ArticleOE fitment trivia
Next Article Monolith Materials appoints Thomas R Maier as CTO

Related Posts

Features

Sponsored: Wipotec’s advanced quality control sets new standards in tire manufacturing

24th February 20254 Mins Read
Features

Interview: Claire Fioretti, head of standards and regulations for connected mobility, Michelin

13th February 20257 Mins Read
Features

Interview: Goodyear’s Kanwar Bharat Singh on revolutionizing road perception for autonomous driving

27th January 20254 Mins Read
Latest News

USTMA welcomes move to overturn EPA’s revised NESHAP rules

13th May 2025

Bridgestone debuts 70% recycled and renewable demo tire

13th May 2025

Volkswagen chooses Vredestein winter tire as OE for Tiguan SUV

12th May 2025

Receive breaking stories and features in your inbox each week, for free


Enter your email address:


Supplier Spotlights
  • Milliken & Company
Getting in Touch
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • Download Media Pack
  • Free Weekly E-Newsletter
Our Social Channels
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
RELATED UKI TOPICS
  • Automotive Interiors
  • Automotive Testing
  • Autonomous Vehicle
  • Automotive Powertrain
  • Professional Motorsport
  • Media Pack
© 2025 UKi Media & Events a division of UKIP Media & Events Ltd
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Notice & Takedown Policy

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the ...
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.

CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie records the user consent for the cookies in the "Necessary" category.
elementorneverThe website's WordPress theme uses this cookie. It allows the website owner to implement or change the website's content in real-time.

Advertisement

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.

CookieDurationDescription
OAGEOsessionOpenX sets this cookie to avoid the repeated display of the same ad.
OAID1 yearCookie set to record whether the user has opted out of the collection of information by the AdsWizz Service Cookies.
test_cookie15 minutesdoubleclick.net sets this cookie to determine if the user's browser supports cookies.
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE5 months 27 daysYouTube sets this cookie to measure bandwidth, determining whether the user gets the new or old player interface.
YSCsessionYoutube sets this cookie to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages.
yt-remote-connected-devicesneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.
yt-remote-device-idneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.
yt.innertube::nextIdneverYouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
yt.innertube::requestsneverYouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.

Analytics

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

CookieDurationDescription
CONSENT2 yearsYouTube sets this cookie via embedded YouTube videos and registers anonymous statistical data.
_ga1 year 1 month 4 daysGoogle Analytics sets this cookie to calculate visitor, session and campaign data and track site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognise unique visitors.
_ga_*1 year 1 month 4 daysGoogle Analytics sets this cookie to store and count page views.

Functional

Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.

CookieDurationDescription
__cf_bm30 minutesCloudflare set the cookie to support Cloudflare Bot Management.

SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by