2008.09.25 Hanover, September 2008. Continental Truck Tyres has launched a new trailer tyre for long-distance / high motorway use. Available in a size unique to Continental – 385/55 R 19.5 – the HTL1 Eco-Plus now makes it possible for megaliners (double-deck trailers) to operate with even greater cost-efficiency.

It is not always the heaviest loads that have to be transported over long distances. Continental Truck Tyres has found that 80 percent of goods transported in Europe do not make full use of the tyre’s maximum load carrying capacity, although they do frequently exhaust the transport volume of 100 m³. The HTL1 tyre model in size 445/45 R 19.5 has been designed specifically for megaliners, although the tyre's maximum axle load of up to nine tonnes is often not fully utilized.

Thanks to its low rolling resistance, the HTL1 in size 445/45 R 19.5 does indeed represent a very economical solution. When it comes to volume transports, though, the 385/55 R 19.5 is a still better option. Because of the way the system is configured, the narrower tyre is lighter than the 445. A well-balanced combination of tread design, construction and compound provide for much better mileage performance with lower rolling resistance than is possible with the previous HTL model.

One of the new design characteristics is AirKeep® technology, which is used for the tyre’s inner liner. The molecules of the special rubber have been chemically altered and enlarged, so that the air pumped into the tyre now has an even harder time diffusing through the liner. This will help with the problems of under inflation, which not only damages the tyre structure

but also ups fuel consumption by increasing rolling resistance. AirKeep® technology also ensures that less harmful oxygen comes in contact with the tyre's steel components.

Thanks to a new bead design, the tyre also has a better fit on the rim. The steel cord now employed in the bead is stronger than the nylon previously used and provides more effective stiffening. The bead area is thus less vulnerable to deforming movements and is taxed less. Consumers stand to benefit in that the valuable carcass is more durable and retains the original product characteristics even after retreading.

The novel, four-ply steel belt also results in decreased deformation. In a deviation from the past, only three belt plies now have a right-hand twist and one ply a left-hand twist. This makes for a stiffer structure that absorbs less energy, which means the vehicle can operate more fuel-efficiently. On an X-ray the new design resembles an accumulation of triangles, for which reason the steel belt is said to have a triangular design.

The tread design and contour of the HTL 1 Eco-Plus have been adopted from the tried-and-tested HTL1 in size 385/55 R 22.5. This ensures a more uniform wear pattern, thanks not least of all to the significantly higher abrasion volume (an extra 20%). The tyre’s extended mileage performance is due also to an effective 17-millimeter tread depth.

With its eight-tonne load carrying capacity, the new HTL1 Eco-Plus in size 385/55 R 19.5 guarantees minimum operating costs. Its excellent handling properties are also likely to win over customers.