Apollo Tyres Ltd. has introduced ‘Bhim’ range of bias tyres for small commercial vehicles (SCVs). Due to its high load carrying capacity, which is the primary requirement of the customers in this product category, the company has positioned this as ‘Loading ka Mahabali’.
Designed and developed at Apollo Tyres Global R&D Centre, Asia, in Chennai, Apollo Bhim offers unmatched load carrying capability, best-in-class durability with the new HEART platform, and 10% better mileage than other tyres in this segment. In addition, taking customers’ voice into consideration, these new tyres are aesthetically robust, bigger and bulkier, making it capable of carrying more load, and hence the positioning statement of ‘Loading ka Mahabali’.
Commenting on the launch, Satish Sharma, President, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (APMEA), Apollo Tyres Ltd., said: “We have been eyeing this growing category of small commercial vehicle tyres for some time. Cross-functional team of Marketing, Customer Service and R&D, along with the consumer’s voice, has helped us develop this product. Considering the performance of these tyres in our internal benchmarking and extensive testing in real world conditions, we are confident of it being a runaway success.”
The Apollo Bhim range of tyres has aggressive tread pattern with a refreshed side wall and window design, which gives it the best-in-class appearance. While the lesser sinusoidal and straighter ribs provide better steer-ability, the open groove design ensures improved heat dissipation and durability. The dual angle tread orientation of Bhim lug tyres results in optimum traction for uniform wear and avoids uneven shoulder wear. High mileage tread compound and more rubber mass at the wearing zone ensures full tread life for the tyres. The dura-cool tread compound, 30% lower heat generation with heat resistant piles, strong casing & bead, and the ‘UBT’ manufacturing process provides best-in-class durability.
The SCV bias market in India is of around 165,000 tyres per month, and Apollo Tyres is looking to get a share of this market with the introduction of this new bias tyre range, and has introduced two SKUs which will cater to nearly 80% of the market in this segment.