Nokian Hakkapeliita-01 adaptive studded tires

[Llarry]

For those who live in areas facing more severe winter conditions, Nokian has just introduced a very innovative adaptive studded winter tire -- the Hakkapeliita-01.

In warmer temps, the studs retract into the tread. When it gets colder, the studs protrude from the tread. Amazing technology.

There may be regulatory implications in some areas. Even though the studs are retracted, they could be illegal in areas that prohibit studded tires.

Here's a video from Nokian:

[RM7]

As an alaskan that drives on ice a large % of the year, this seems very VERY location-specific, as to where it would be a benefit.

In very cold temps, like -20 and colder, traction on winter-tires goes up significantly. A bit hard to explain, but the warmer-sloppy conditions can be the worst.

Ice on the other hand can exist below 0C anywhere and as long as there's shade here in the winter, which is many months due to the sun and then later due to time of the day, there's ice, regardless of the temp. Here, you can't remove it from the road unless you spray crazy amounts of fluid and even then you still have strips and patches. That's only for the highway, most roads just become impacted ice and that's what you are driving on a large % of the winter.

The problem is in warmer weather on non-ice surfaces, you wear down winter tire compounds (high silica) rather fast. That's the reason you should change your tires out. Yeah, the studs wear too, but it's that siped high-silica tread that has a lot to do with overall winter traction, vs. the studs that help with ice. So if you are retracting studs for warmer weather...you're just still going to wear out the winter compound. I see no benefit here, unless I'm not getting something. If it's about the roads...changing the tires over for summer is the answer.

[FrankL]

Those Finns know a thing or two about driving in snow and ice especially the rally drivers. Very clever.

[No one]

Originally Posted by Llarry

In warmer temps, the studs retract into the tread. When it gets colder, the studs protrude from the tread. Amazing technology.

Of course it was difficult! Speaking on making it "natural", naturally it's just the other way around: when it's hot a stud protrudes, when it's cold it retracts.

Originally Posted by RM7

I see no benefit here, unless I'm not getting something. If it's about the roads...changing the tires over for summer is the answer.

It's not for all-season tires, it's to make studded winter tires less harmful to the roads. Save money.

[RM7]

Originally Posted by No one

It's not for all-season tires, it's to make studded winter tires less harmful to the roads. Save money.

Yeah, but unless the studs retract at like 40 degrees F road-temp, it makes no sense. And if it's that warm, it's time to put on the summer tires.

[Hank_BmvRep]

Originally Posted by Llarry

For those who live in areas facing more severe winter conditions, Nokian has just introduced a very innovative adaptive studded winter tire -- the Hakkapeliita-01.

In warmer temps, the studs retract into the tread. When it gets colder, the studs protrude from the tread. Amazing technology.

There may be regulatory implications in some areas. Even though the studs are retracted, they could be illegal in areas that prohibit studded tires.

Here's a video from Nokian:

Pretty impressive idea. If it works as advertised, the retractable studs could be a great compromise between dry pavement comfort and real winter grip. Curious to see how they perform in real-world testing.