Sales of the Nokian Hakkapeliitta Truck E winter tyre and compatible Noktop Hakkapeliitta E retreading materials have exceeded a million units during their decade or so on the market. But all good things come to an end, and it is time to make way for an improved product. Nokian Tyres is introducing the Nokian Hakkapeliitta Truck E2 as a “true next-generation drive axle tyre for extreme winter conditions.”
Eight new sizes have joined the 2014-launched Nokian Hakkapeliitta TRI range, extending the portfolio to 20 sizes. The new sizes provide compatibility with a greater range of tractors, backhoe loaders and compact machinery such as compact loaders.
Every year for the past three decades, Popular Science has reviewed the latest innovations and recognised the pick of the bunch in its Best of What’s New awards. In 2017, the world’s largest science and technology magazine has selected the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 as an awardee. The studded tyre is one of 100 winners honoured in 11 categories.
When it comes to winter driving, Nokian Heavy Tyres observes that an extra couple of percentage points improvement in grip “makes all the difference.” This is why when developing a successor to the Hakkapeliitta Truck F, the Finnish tyre maker says it wanted to make an “already excellent” steer tyre “even better.” The Hakkapeliitta Truck F2, it adds, is a completely redesigned tyre with a “more aggressive tread pattern” that maximises grip.
The next generation of Nokian Hakkapeliitta studded winter tyres will come to market in time for winter 2017-18. Nokian writes that these new flagship products, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 car tyre and Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 SUV ranges, feature new stud technology.
Victory has gone to Nokian Tyres in both the studded and non-studded categories of the winter tyre test conducted by Finnish publication Tekniikan Maailma (World of Technology). The test of 12 studded size 205/55 R16 tyres and eight non-studded 205/55 R16 tyres appeared in issue (17/2015) and saw the Nokian tyres pitted against a range of premium, mid-range and budget tyres.
Nokian Tyres and Valtra have combined their expertise to set a new record for tractors, clocking 130.165km/h (80.88mph) on a snowy and icy road in Finnish Lapland. Multiple World Rally champion, Juha Kankkunen drove the Valtra T234, which ran on the world’s first winter tyre for tractors, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta TRI (440/80R28 151D & 540/80R38 167D). Click through to the full story to watch a video documenting the new World Record.
Nokian Tyres is claiming an industry first with the release of a Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 fitment designed for the electric BMW i3. The Finnish manufacturer says the winter tyre has achieved an ‘A’ European tyre label rating for rolling resistance – a boast that not even the most optimistic tyre maker has voiced since the label’s introduction in late 2012. But given Nokian’s impeccable credentials as a winter tyre specialist, we can be confident that this particular Hakkapeliitta R2 does exactly what it says on the tin. To quote the manufacturer, the tyre “allows for safe, economical, and high-performance driving on snow and ice in demanding Nordic winter weather.”
The Chinese-market edition of auto motor und sport magazine has voted the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 the winner of its latest winter tyre test. According to Nokian Tyres, the publication called the Hakkapeliitta R2 the “king of winter tyres” in the test that appeared in its 10/2014 issue. The Nokian tyre was one of seven brands (others included Continental, Michelin, Dunlop and Goodyear) tested. Auto motor und sport described the Nokian tyre as offering “excellent grip, good track follow ability, easy to get grip when accelerating and no loss of grip when climbing hill straightly (sic).” The overall evaluation of the Hakkapeliitta R2 is that “it makes everything simple”.
2014 marks the 80th anniversary of the Nokian Kelirengas winter truck tyre, and the manufacturer has introduced two new sizes of its latest winter TBR model, the Hakkapeliitta Truck D. In addition to the existing size of 315/80R22.5, the sizes 295/80R22.5 and 315/70R22.5 will be available at the end of the summer of 2014.