Hankook to premiere concept tyres at The Tire Cologne

Hankook will use The Tire Cologne (9 to 11 June 2026) to give the European premiere of two concept tyres and launch new passenger car products for the winter and performance segments. The company will also display battery division products at the trade show for the first time, alongside an updated Laufenn summer tyre.

On commercial vehicles, Hankook is adding a truck and bus tyre production line at its Hungarian plant to serve European demand from within the region. First announced in late 2023, the €540m (US$632m) project is due for completion in 2027 and will lift capacity by up to 800,000 units per year. In a statement, Manfred Zoni, Head of Sales Truck and Bus at Hankook in Germany, said: “With targeted investment in production, products and service offerings, we are strengthening our commercial vehicle tyre business in Germany and Europe.”

Both concept tyres come from Hankook’s Design Innovation Project, which has won Red Dot, iF and IDEA Design Awards. The Sustainable Concept Tire is built layer by layer using 3D printing, with recycled and renewable materials and an organic tread design. The WheelBot 2 robotic platform powers the PathCruizer two-seater mobility pod, with spherical wheels that move sideways, diagonally or on the spot.

Source: Hankook