Bridgestone Launches Blizzak IcePeak Winter Tire

Bridgestone Americas Inc. is adding the new Blizzak IcePeak, a tire designed for most passenger vehicles, to its winter tire portfolio.

Created for sedans, CUVs, SUVs, minivans and light trucks, the new tire will come in 107 sizes ranging from 14 inches to 22 inches in diameter and “will cover 97% of the U.S. car park,” according to Bridgestone officials.

The tire, which was recently introduced at a ride-and-drive event in Steamboat Springs, Colo.,  will roll out in the United States this coming May and will be available in other countries later this year. 

Officials say production has already started on most sizes. Bridgestone aims to have full volumes ready for distribution by March.

Features of the Blizzak IcePeak include MultiCell compound technology to enhance grip on ice and snow, advanced tread blocks with 3D sipe technology and more.

As Bridgestone’s flagship winter tire, the IcePeak is equipped with Bridgestone’s ENLITEN technology and is the first double-certification within the Bridgestone nameplate, with both 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake and Ice Grip certifications.

According to Bridgestone officials, the Blizzak IcePeak will replace the Blizzak DM-V2 and Blizzak WS90, which have been the company’s primary Blizzak products for nearly six years. Bridgestone’s Blizzak portfolio of tires also includes the Blizzak 6, a performance winter tire introduced last year, and the Blizzak LT.

During the Steamboat Springs event, Todd Chapman, senior manager of product strategy for Bridgestone Americas, called the new tire a “jack-of-all-trades” and a “huge power line” for the company.

Commenting more broadly about the U.S. tire market and the new Blizzak IcePeak, Chapman said that while the winter tire market is a smaller segment, the company wants to continue its “commanding brand presence” in the segment and meet consumers’ growing needs.

"Bridgestone has been strong in this area,” said Chapman. “In the Canadian market, 40% of all tires sold in Canada are winter tires. We want to have a strong presence, so we need to have a strong brand and a strong product in that area.”

Chapman also said the new tire sports distinct changes from previous-generation Blizzak products, such as features with “sipe direction optimization,” which means the angle of the tire’s sipes have changed and provide better grip. Another major feature is added protrusions to its circumferential ribs, which evacuate water out of the tire and keep the tire optimized for grip.

Bridgestone's MultiCell technology “puts air pockets into the rubber compound as it’s being produced,” which sucks the water off of ice and maximizes the tire’s grip. 

The new IcePeak also contains micro grooves, a new addition to the Blizzak line that “removes the thin layer of water from the ice surface during the tire’s initial use, until the multicell bubbles are revealed,” say Bridgestone officials.

When designing the addition to its Blizzak line, Bridgestone wanted to make sure the tire would excel in a range of changing winter weather conditions across different markets.

During his presentation, Chapman said the IcePeak’s compounds and biting edges are engineered to perform well on cold hard pavement, in wet and cold weather, on black ice and on packed snow. He added that the ENLITEN technology applied to this tire will also add additional service life.

"The rubber compounds that we’re using on these tires are designed for those low temperatures,” said Chapman. “They still stay pliable and soft, even when the temperatures are so cold outside. We want to make sure the features that we put into the tread pattern design itself work the way we want them to work.”

Bridgestone first launched its ENLITEN technology in 2024, focusing on the electric vehicle, all-terrain and performance markets first. Last year, the company introduced its first winter tire featuring ENLITEN, the Blizzak 6.

Kim Windon, vice president of communications for Bridgestone West, said the company has a goal of incorporating ENLITEN technology in nearly 90% of its products by 2030.

"Continuing to focus on technology, continuing to focus on innovation and specifically making sure that we’re being sustainable along the way is really important to us as a company,” said Windon.