What if a tire manufacturer made an electric SUV?
According to Korean tire manufacturer Kumho, our future may yet be filled with SUVs after all. Unlike yesteryear’s gas-guzzling behemoths, though, tomorrow’s multi-purpose vehicles will be fully electric and powered by lithium ion battery packs. Being a tire company, it comes as little surprise that Kumho’s Fortis concept SUV would feature body panels molded from recycled rubber for an eco-friendly twist. Another interesting exterior bit are the front light clusters inspired by Korean glass sculptures. Underneath the SUV-shaped body sits a modular platform with one chassis-mounted 100-horsepower electric motor per wheel. This arrangement allows for an unlimited number of drivetrain possibilities – front- rear- or all-wheel drive are all possible and traction control, stability control and hill descent control can be baked right in via the software that controls the motors. Perhaps the coolest bit of future-tech in the Fortis design study are the tires. When traveling off-road, the tire
