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Hankook Tire supplies EV tires for BMW's new iX3 SUV

Published: 16 Mar. 2026, 14:00 Updated: 16 Mar. 2026, 14:53

This file photo provided by Hankook Tire & Technology shows the electric vehicle-only iON evo SUV tires installed in BMW's new iX3 SUV model. [YONHAP]

Hankook Tire & Technology, the world's seventh-largest tiremaker by sales, said on Monday that it has begun supplying tires for the new iX3 SUV produced by BMW.

Hankook Tire is providing its high-performance, EV-specific iON evo SUV tires for the iX3 as original equipment (OE), the company said in a press release. It did not disclose when the supply began.

The iX3 is the first model built on BMW's next-generation EV platform, Neue Klasse.

Hankook already supplies OE tires for several models from BMW and its affiliate MINI, including the BMW 1, 3, 5 and 7 Series sedans; the X1, X3 and X5 SUVs; and the iX electric flagship SUV.

As part of efforts to strengthen its global brand presence, Hankook supplies OE tires for about 300 vehicle models from 40 overseas automakers, including Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.

While supplying OE tires to automakers does not generate significant revenue, securing contracts with major global car brands helps enhance brand recognition and can support higher product pricing over time.

For tire manufacturers, higher margins are generally generated through replacement equipment tires sold in the aftermarket.

Last year, overseas markets accounted for 88 percent of Hankook Tire's total revenue.

The company operates eight production plants worldwide — two in Korea, one in Hungary, one in the United States, three in China and one in Indonesia — with a combined annual production capacity of 100 million tires.

Yonhap