Apollo Tyres has launched a new winter van tyre, aimed at fleets and light commercial vehicle operators looking for wet-weather grip, snow performance and durability.
It may feel like odd timing to talk about winter van tyres when the office thermometer is showing 32°C, but Apollo’s latest Altrust Winter is aimed at operators planning beyond the current heat.
The Apollo Altrust Winter completes the Altrust van tyre range, joining the Altrust+ summer tyre and Altrust All-Season.
The new tyre has been designed and developed in Europe, with a wet grip rating of A and an external noise rating of B, at 72dB.
Apollo says the Altrust Winter will be offered in 15 sizes, covering 15- to 17-inch rims. That gives it compatibility with a wide range of vans and light commercial vehicles, including models such as the Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter and Iveco Daily.
The tyre uses a multi-pitch tread design, with tread blocks sized and spaced to help winter and wet-weather performance. Three-dimensional sipes are used to help the tyre bite into the road surface, while the centre and shoulder lateral grooves have been designed to clear water quickly and reduce the risk of aquaplaning.
Apollo says the Altrust Winter uses an advanced compound designed to balance polymers and fillers for abrasion resistance, reducing material loss over time.
Reinforced shoulder tie-bars are intended to help maintain a consistent contact patch, even in demanding operating conditions. Apollo says this should support uniform wear across the full width of the tread and help maintain performance through the life of the tyre.
The company also says its engineers paid attention to pitch lengths, pitch sequence and shoulder block bridges to manage noise levels.
Udyan Ghai, group head of marketing at Apollo Tyres, said: “Our research and development team in Enschede, The Netherlands, spent over two years exploring the needs of van owners and users, creating a winter van tyre that delivers an optimal balance of performance and value.
“They focused on those attributes that matter most to fleet operators and van drivers: safety, durability and low operating costs. We know that wet-weather performance is becoming increasingly important for operators across Europe, so we are particularly pleased to see the tyre secure an A rating for wet grip.”
