Conti’s first winter tyre for coaches evolves for summer use

Continental has developed its first winter coach tyre, the HSW 2 Coach. Designed primarily for safety, but with the varying road surfaces involved in coach travel applications, quiet running, comfort and economy also in mind, the tyre, suitable for use on all axles of the coach, uses “intelligent tread pattern design” to provide the characteristics necessary for winter passenger transportation. But the really clever bit is that the tyre has been designed to wear in a way that will make it suitable for continued use when spring arrives.

The HSW 2 Coach has numerous sipes reaching to the base of the tread to increase traction on wintry roads during the whole life of the tyre. In this way the tread has been specifically made so that it gradually evolves into a conventional grooved pattern with use. Being able to continue using the winter tyre in spring and summer will remove the costs of changing and storing tyres on a seasonal basis, Conti says. It will also give operators the flexibility to travel anywhere in Europe at any time of year.

The contour and structure of the casing have been configured for coaches’ higher driving speeds, while the closed rib tread structure of the new tyre, with its large number of three-dimensional sipes and the omission of a block structure in the pattern, effectively reduces the running noise caused by the higher speeds. 

The HSW 2 Coach also benefits from Conti’s four-ply triangular belt and patented AirKeep technology, which prevents gradual loss of inflation pressure. The generation of winter tyres for coaches offered by Continental thus contributes to significant cost savings in travel and excursion operations in addition to the considerable improvement in vehicle safety. 

The tyre is available in the size 295/80 R 22.5 for use on all coach axles.