Ecological driving fun with the electric sports car ERA on Nokian eco tyres at e-miglia rally

Extremely low electric power consumption: converted only 1.6 litres of fuel

In six seconds up to 100 km/h

Nokian Tyres’ energy saving tyres: low rolling resistance – good and sporty safety features

Innovative and fast electric sports car ERA of Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences from Finland takes part in the e-miglia rally 2011, the toughest reality check for electric mobility and the first international e-rally only for electric vehicles from August 1st to 5th. ERA consumes extremely little energy, only 14.5 kWh on 100 kilometres which corresponds to 1.6 litres of fuel, and it emits no CO2. In six seconds, it accelerates from 0 up to 100 km/h, its top speed is 220 km/h. State-of-the art electric motor technology with 449 ps (330 kW) short time and 272 ps (200 kW) continuous, a pure electric power system with four inboard mount motors, the latest Lithium-Titanate battery pack, low rolling resistance eco tyres by Nokian and the lightweight construction of the body demonstrate what today already is possible.

Just about 3.48 Euros are the energy costs of the ERA prototype on 100 kilometres. This is very low compared to the three best selling conventional sports cars in Germany in 2011 which each cause 11.63 Euros fuel costs on 100 kilometres in similar driving performance taking their average fuel consumption of 7.4 litres on 100 kilometres.
ERA (Electric RaceAbout) has already won contests. Winner of the Battery Electric Rally at Challenge Bibendum in Berlin 2011 with awards for fuel efficiency, local pollution, well-to-wheel CO2 emissions and design contest as well as second prize at Automotive X-prize 2010, the world–wide competition for energy efficient and clean vehicles. The average range of this e-sports car with a curb weight of 1720 kilograms is 200 kilometres at the present. Students of Metropolia University of Applied Sciences have constructed ERA.

With electric cars, tyres consume a considerable part of the energy, that is why tyres are a crucial construction piece in development. E-cars need tyres with an extremely low rolling resistance in order to achieve a range as large as possible. But also the tyres safety features have an important role constructing e-cars. Energy saving tyres must provide safe wet grip, good aquaplaning resistance, decent handling properties, sufficient load carrying capacity, and low noise. But it is very difficult to combine safe grip in the wet with an optimal low rolling resistance. Nokian eco tyres master the difficult balancing act between good safety qualities especially in the wet and a low rolling resistance. The tyre tests of the car magazines confirm this again and again.

Economical Nokian Z G2 high speed tyres provide sporty driving performance and are „very recommendable” according to the tyre tests

ERA drives on Nokian ZG2 high speed tyres sized 225/40 ZR 18 with a relatively low rolling resistance, which are already available in the tyre trade, thus are no prototypes and which offer outstanding sporty driving performance also with other cars. In the latest summer tyre tests, Nokian Z G2 has achieved excellent results. „Very recommendable” is the judgement of “sport auto”, the most renowned German sports cars magazine, „very recommendable“ again judges the German car magazine „Auto Zeitung“. German automobile association ADAC assesses Nokian Z G2 “very recommendable” in its ultra high performance summer tyre test already in 2009.

SUV and Off Road tyre Nokian Z SUV is rated “very recommendable” by German car magazine „Auto Bild allrad“, „very recommendable“ is the judgement of „Auto Zeitung“ in its SUV tyre test 2011. For tyre change, Nokian tyres are available on good terms at local tyre dealers, as well with rims.

Nokian Tyres from Finland is a forerunner in tyre development with unique tyres and as an environmentally friendly company the pioneer of green tyres. One of the main targets of the ecological tyre specialist is developing new environmentally friendly solutions for the future. ERA e-sports car is an excellent possibility for Nokian Tyres to present its vision of tyres for electric cars, e-vehicles, green cars and future technologies. “Toughest testing in extreme conditions is an important part of developing tyres with Nokian. Testing our boundaries can teach us new insights,“ Development Manager Juha Pirhonen points out. „Hence we want to examine how our energy saving high performance tyres stand the difficult e-miglia rally test.”

“The goal of the ERA prototype project is to demonstrate that an electric vehicle is a viable solution today and that electric vehicles can be very efficient, fast and practical at the same time,” Sami Ruotsalainen, team leader and chief engineer of Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences explains. „Our students have a tremendous learning opportunity at working with state of art technology and demonstrating its capability to public. At e-miglia we want to show that our e-car can drive in the first row even at the toughest rally.”

The constancy rally runs with equal-zero emissions 800 kilometres from Munich to St Moritz through four Alpine countries: D-AUT-I-CH.
As the car is a prototype, it has no price nor any date of market introduction yet.

Further information:


Nokian eco tyres :
https://www.nokiantyres.com/company/news-article/save-fuel-and-drive-safely-with-nokian-eco-tyres/

Nokian press releases:
https://www.nokiantyres.com/for-media

Nokian summer tyres:
https://www.nokiantyres.com/tyres/passenger-car/summer-tyres/

Environmental friendliness:
https://www.nokiantyres.com/company/sustainability/

Sources:

„Just about 3.48 Euros are the energy costs of the ERA prototype on 100 kilometres. This is very low compared to the three best selling conventional sports cars in Germany in 2011 which each cause 11.63 Euros fuel costs on 100 kilometres in similar driving performance taking their average fuel consumption of 7.4 litres on 100 kilometres.“:

Energy costs of ERA prototype on 100 kilometres:
24 ct/kWh domestic energy costs 2010
http://www.kwh-preis.de/strom/strompreise
ERA:
14.5 kWh on 100 kilometres
3.48 Euro are the energy costs of the ERA prototype on 100 kilometres

The three bestselling conventional sports cars:

Federal Motor Transport Authority segment "sports cars" readmissions January – June 2011:
1. Mercedes E-Klasse Coupé 7287
2. Mercedes SLK 4366
3. Audi TT 3617

Mercedes E-Klasse Coupé E 350 Blue Efficiency, 306 PS (225 kW), 6.2 s, 250 km/h, 7.1 l/100 km
http://www.mercedes-benz.de/content/germany/mpc/mpc_germany_website/de/home_mpc/passengercars/home/new_cars/models/e-class/_c207/facts_/technicaldata/models.html

Mercedes SLK 350 Blue Efficiency, 306 PS (225 kW), 5.6 s, 250 km/h, 7.1 l/100 km
http://www.mercedes-benz.de/content/germany/mpc/mpc_germany_website/de/home_mpc/passengercars/home/new_cars/models/slk-class/_r172/facts_/technicaldata/models.html

Audi TT Coupé 2.0 TFSI, 272 PS (200 kW), 5.4 s, 250 km/h, 7.9 l/100 km
http://www.audi.de

average consumption = 7.4 l/100km
Super Plus 1.572 Euro
http://benzinpreis.de/statistik.phtml
11.63 Euro fuel costs /100km

„ERA (Electric RaceAbout) has already won challenges. Winner of the Battery Electric Rally at Challenge Bibendum in Berlin 2011 with awards for fuel efficiency, local pollution, well-to-wheel CO2 emissions and design contest as well as second prize at Automotive X-prize 2010, the world–wide competition for the most fuel saving car.“:

• http://www.michelinchallengebibendum.com/en/Berlin-2011
• http://www.michelinchallengebibendum.com/en/Berlin-2011/Rallyes-Tests-Fahrzeuge/Ergebnisse/Gewinner-der-Rallyes3
• http://www.michelinchallengebibendum.com/en/Berlin-2011/Rallyes-Tests-Fahrzeuge/Design-Award2/Preistraeger-des-Challenge-Bibendum-2011-Design-Contest
• http://www.progressiveautoxprize.org/

„In the latest summer tyres tests, Nokian Z G2 has achieved excellent results. „Very recommendable” is the judgement of “sport auto”, the most renowned German sports cars magazine, „very recommendable“ again judges the German car magazine „Auto Zeitung“. German automobile association ADAC assesses Nokian Z G2 “very recommendable” in its ultra high performance summer tyres test already in 2009.

SUV and Off Road tyre Nokian Z SUV is rated “very recommendable” by German car magazine „Auto Bild allrad“, „very recommendable“ is the judgement of „Auto Zeitung“ in its SUV tyre test 2011.“:

sport auto, 4/2011
Auto Zeitung, issue No 5, 16.2.2011
ADAC summer tyres test 2009:
ADACmotorwelt, issue No 3 March 2009

Auto Bild allrad, issue No 4 April 2010
Auto Zeitung, No 15, 6.7.2011

Nokian Tyres

Nokian Tyres is the only tyre manufacturer in the world that focuses on products and services that facilitate safe transportation in Nordic conditions. The company's innovative passenger car, van and heavy-duty machinery tyres are mainly marketed in areas that have snow, forest and changing seasons that make driving conditions demanding. Nokian Tyres also offers tyres especially tailored for the milder European climate.
Operating in Nordic conditions Nokian Tyres from Finland is one of the leading winter tyre specialists in the world and multiple test winner with over 75 years of experience. Nokian winter and summer tyres are developed and tested in harsh road conditions in Finland and shall offer high quality and top-level safety. The Nokian brand stands for environmentally friendly premium tyres. Nokian Tyres was the first tyre manufacturer to switch over to using only purified, low-aromatic oils in its production. In Scandinavia and Russia the high-value brand has a high level of awareness and a good reputation.
Nokian Tyres’ net sales for 2010 totalled approximately EUR 1,058 million, and it had 3,500 employees. The company owns the Vianor tyre chain that comprises more than 790 stores in 20 countries. Nokian Tyres Plc's shares are quoted on the Helsinki Exchanges' NASDAQ OMX. www.nokiantyres.com

Press contact:
Dr. Falk Köhler PR
Dr. Falk Köhler
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