FORT MILL, SC - Leading the SmartWay challenge, the Commercial Tire Division of Continental Tire the Americas, LLC (CTA) introduced one of the few open-shoulder drive tires to be verified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for low rolling resistance - the HDR1 Eco Plus.

The HDR1 Eco Plus (Heavy Drive Regional) will rapidly become the drive tire of choice for local pickup and delivery fleets that require a true open shoulder design for optimal traction, yet need the on-highway fuel efficiency of a low rolling resistance truck tire, predicted Clif Armstrong, CTA's director of marketing for commercial vehicle tires.

"We're proud to offer this unique drive tire that meets the strict requirements of the U.S. EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership," Armstrong said. "Continental is committed to bringing innovative solutions to trucking fleets throughout the Americas, and this tire is no exception. With its advanced fuel-efficient compounding, regional fleets will find that this tire lowers their driving costs, mile after mile, and has the traction features they want."

Designed and produced at Continental's award-winning plant and research center in Mt. Vernon, Ill., the HDR1 Eco Plus keeps the same open shoulder design and reduced stone retention that fleets came to rely on from the original HDR1 model, introduced in 2009. Continental's truck tire engineers also included an innovative lug angle that resists irregular wear over the extended lifetime of the tire; a high endurance tread design with grooves that reduce stone retention; and advanced fuel-efficient tread compounding.

The compounding advancements allowed the HDR1 Eco Plus to become verified for low rolling resistance by the U.S. EPA SmartWay Transport Partnership, joining an elite list of tires that can help reduce emissions and fuel consumption for line-haul, class 8 trucks. But while many manufacturers are offering SmartWay-verified drive tires with a partially open shoulder - with tie bars between the grooves - the HDR1 Eco Plus remains a true open shoulder for the tire's entire lifetime, explained Roger Stansbie, Continental's director of commercial vehicle tire technology for the Americas. This ensures that the truck operator has the security of traction in inclement weather that is typically not found in closed shoulder designs, Stansbie said.

"Our engineers in Mt. Vernon have balanced the major needs of the on-highway regional fleet - traction, durability and fuel economy," Stansbie said. "While the HDR1 Eco Plus still offers the open shoulder and superior removal miles in the drive tire position, we've now upped the ante with a 19 percent improvement in rolling resistance over our original product."

The fuel-saving capabilities of the HDR1 Eco Plus are particularly exciting for regional fleets that have been following the proposals of the U.S. EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Regulations proposed in late October aim to further regulate greenhouse gas and fuel economy standards for vehicles ranging from heavy-duty pickups to commercial trucks, starting in 2014 and 2018. Since regional fleets may be affected by these regulations, they've been awaiting a low rolling resistance drive tire to meet their needs, Armstrong explained.

"We recently conducted a demonstration of our regional tire capabilities to fleets at the Continental Proving Grounds in Uvalde, Texas," Armstrong said, "and they were thrilled to see how the combination of the HSR2 Eco Plus steer tire and this new HDR1 Eco Plus drive tire performed against the leading competitor.

"After fleets saw more than five percent fuel savings with our tires on the track at Uvalde, they've been telling us how impressed they are with Continental's fuel-efficient products. We're happy to tell them that the wait is over. The HDR1 Eco Plus is now available to help them meet not only government standards for fuel savings, but to also deliver the durability and grip they need in diverse driving conditions," Armstrong said.

The HDR1 Eco Plus is now available through Continental dealers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico in load ranges G and H, size 275/80R22.5. For specifications on this product and the complete lineup of Continental truck tires, visit www.continental-truck.com.