Abstract: A drive belt has a foundational body made of a polymeric material with elastic properties including a top ply as belt backing and a substructure having a force transmission zone. At least one tensile strand in cord construction is embedded in the drive belt. The tensile strand is completely or partially made of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET), wherein the PET is formed of a yarn associated with the following yarn and cord parameters: a cord linear density of ?3600 dtex; a yarn hot air thermal shrinkage ?5% after 2 minutes at 177° C. and at a pre-tension of 0.0005 N/dtex; a corresponding yarn force of ?3.4 cN/dtex at an elongation of 5% at 25° C. and at a pretension of 0.0005 N/dtex; and a cord hot air thermal shrinking force of ?0.12 cN/dtex in hot air at 160° C. after 10 minutes and at a pre-tension of 0.0005 N/dtex.