Wheels’ Car of the Year runs on Bridgestone ologic

• Car of the Year runs on ologic tyre developed specifically for the BMW i3 

• Ecopia EP500 delivers ultra low-rolling resistance through ologic technology 

• Larger diameter and narrow tread pattern provides outstanding wet and dry grip

The BMW i3 electric vehicle has won Australia’s most prestigious motoring award –Wheels magazine’s Car of the Year.

Of course, a revolutionary car needs a revolutionary tyre, which is why the newly crowned Car of the Year runs Bridgestone’s ground-breaking ologic ultra low-rolling resistance technology.

Specifically designed for the new BMW i vehicles, the Bridgestone Ecopia EP500 is the first tyre to feature ologic technology: a tyre with a large diameter and narrow tread pattern. 

The result is a tyre that delivers significant improvements in aerodynamics and rolling resistance, while still offering outstanding grip in wet weather conditions.

Bridgestone Australia Managing Director Andrew Moffatt said the Company is thrilled to be associated with such an innovative vehicle.

“On behalf of everyone at Bridgestone Australia I would like to congratulate BMW on winning Wheels’ Car of the Year award for its fantastic i3 vehicle,” Mr Moffatt said.

“We first saw evidence of the capabilities of our ologic technology in the 2013 Bridgestone World Solar Car Challenge between Darwin and Adelaide, where a number of the competitors relied on Ecopia tyres to gain an advantage.”

“It’s great to see that technology transition to the passenger car market through this exclusive arrangement with BMW.”

Ground-breaking technology

The Bridgestone Ecopia EP500 achieves its ultra low-rolling resistance through two key areas:

1. The reduction of rolling resistance achieved by minimising tread deformation with a larger diameter combining the effects of curvature and belt tension:

2. The reduction of aerodynamic resistance, achieved by making the tread pattern narrower, thus reducing the frontal surface area: 

Graph showing the results of a coast down test in which a standard tyre with a large diameter and wide tread was tested against the Bridgestone Ecopia EP500’s large diameter and narrow tread. Combining a large diameter with a narrow tread pattern has several advantages. 

While the tread on smaller diameter tyres is typically inclined to excessive movement or deformation during driving, the larger diameter and higher belt tension significantly reduce tyre deformation and therefore conserve energy that is otherwise lost through internal friction - which helps to reduce rolling resistance.

By the same token, the narrow tread concept improves aerodynamics.

The most spectacular achievement is that these improvements do not involve a trade-off in terms of safety. The tyre’s long contact patch (relative to its narrow width), revolutionary tread design and compound still ensure outstanding grip in both wet and dry conditions.

A winner in its own right

Bridgestone’s ologic technology has already seen the company pick up two major awards:

• The Tyre Technology of the Year Award, presented at the 2014 Tyre Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellent in Geneva; and

• The BMW Supplier Innovation Award 2014 in the Efficient Dynamics category of BMW’s prestigious annual awards.

The new Bridgestone Ecopia EP500 is the latest product of a longstanding partnership with BMW both on and off the racing track. Over the past 17 years, that partnership has included a long list of OE fitments, joint technological developments (such as Run-Flat Technology tyres), exclusive collaboration on BMW’s Driving Experience and now as an exclusive development partner for the BMW i3. 

Bridgestone tyres featuring ologic technology will be available in Australia in the following sizes:

155/70R19 84Q EP500 OLG (BMW i3 front)
175/60R19 86Q EP500 OLG (BMW i3 rear).