Tokyo (December 3, 2010) — Bridgestone Corporation announced today that it has begun supplying NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD. with ECOPIA tires for use as original equipment on the Nissan LEAF, an electric car scheduled to go on sale in December 2010.

Bridgestone’s line of eco-friendly tires, the ECOPIA brand, has been specially developed to offer lower rolling resistance while still maintaining superior performance in all areas, including safety. ECOPIA tires were first produced in 1991 through the development of tires for electric vehicles. Since then, Bridgestone has developed a diverse lineup of ECOPIA tires, including those for trucks and buses, light trucks and buses, vans, and passenger cars. These tires have been highly evaluated both inside and outside of Japan.

Going forward, Bridgestone will continue working to bolster its lineup of ECOPIA tires, roll them out globally, and increase their use as original equipment.

Details of the ECOPIA tires to be equipped on the Nissan LEAF
Tire size                         Tire model                     Market
205/55R16 91V            ECOPIA EP150             Japan, Europe
P205/55R16 89H        ECOPIA EP422             North America

Features of the ECOPIA tires to be equipped on the Nissan LEAF
ECOPIA EP150 tires achieve reductions in rolling resistance by employing compounds using NanoPro-Tech, a proprietary material development technology of Bridgestone. ECOPIA EP422 tires, developed for the North American market, combine the features listed above with superior all-season performance.

Ecopia 150

Features of the Nissan LEAF
Developed by NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., the Nissan LEAF is the first electric car created with the goal of mass production. Sales of the Nissan LEAF are scheduled to begin in Japan and the United States in December 2010, and in Europe in early 2011.