Tire technicians receive IDEA 2025 awards
The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) has announced the results of the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) competition, with Nexen Tire being one of the finalists, receiving awards for its Nexist and Cellexis concept tires.
Both award-winning tires were designed with the expectation that future transportation in densely populated urban centers will face new restrictions. The Nexist tire is specifically designed for urban autonomous aerial mobility (UAM) with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities, featuring a reduced weight construction achieved through the use of new composite materials that provide both weight reduction and shape stabilization. In contrast, the Cellexis tire is designed for modular public transportation, which is expected to become widespread in future megacities. The concept has a spherical structure "inspired by the shape of a red blood cell" and is positioned on four sides of the module, serving as both tires and doors and connection points. This design is intended to accelerate passenger transfer and reduce the dependence of city dwellers on personal vehicles.
The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) has announced the results of the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) competition, with Nexen Tire being one of the finalists, receiving awards for its Nexist and Cellexis concept tires.
Both concept tires were developed in collaboration with the Korean Institute of Design Promotion (KIDP), established under the auspices of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of the Republic of Korea. Nexen notes that such projects serve as a platform for demonstrating the company's capabilities in new technologies, reducing environmental harm, and its overall vision for the future of tire manufacturing.
In 2022 and 2023, Nexen received IDEA awards for tires developed in collaboration with leading Korean universities and other organizations. In 2025, the Red Dot Design Award and Green Good Design Award were awarded to the Nexen Winguard Sport 3, N'Fera Sport R, and N'Blue 4Season 2 tires, which "once again confirms the company's competitiveness in innovative design".
As noted by John Bosco (Hyun Suk) Kim, CEO of Nexen, the receipt of new awards speaks to the effectiveness of the company's "innovative approach to creating unique experiences that resonate worldwide". "We will continue to develop projects and technologies that combine the present and future of mobility," he added.
The bronze award in the 2025 competition was received by the Origami concept tire, created by another Korean company, Hankook Tire. The award-winning concept is a foldable tire designed for space exploration and settlement missions beyond Earth.
According to IDSA, as international organizations are now implementing long-term strategies for space exploration and settlement, technological solutions adapted to complex conditions are gaining special importance. The "origami tire" has a structure that allows it to be used on various terrain without the need for inflation, and is capable of expanding and contracting as needed. In its folded state, the tire significantly reduces in size, which is expected to "open up new opportunities for space mobility", and IDSA also describes the concept tire as a "universal, eco-friendly, and intelligent solution".
The "gold" award in the IDSA competition in 2025 was received by the Goodyear ElectricDrive 2 tire, specifically designed for electric cars and made using at least 50% eco-friendly materials, such as soybean oil and silica from rice husk ash. Additionally, the asymmetric tread pattern is designed to improve handling on both dry and wet surfaces, the rubber compound is optimized for increased durability, and the aerodynamic sidewall design reduces air resistance.
