It should come as no surprise that the automotive industry is undergoing somewhat of a revolution. With green initiatives and sustainability becoming key factors, many car manufacturers look to electric vehicle development as the future. It isn’t just the engine that is different. Tyres are changing too. This article will show you areas where there is certainly a difference and what you need to look for. 

Electric vehicle tyres have to be engineered differently for several reasons. Due to increased weight of the vehicles, a greater need to optimise range maximum range and a requirement to reduce rolling resistance means that they have several features that will differ from ‘regular’ car tyres.

As to what those different features are. Read on to find out… 

EV Tyres vs Regular Tyres. Is There a Difference?

There is a significant difference between regular car tyres and electric vehicle car tyres. Certain factors change when using an electric vehicle compared to a conventional car. These are things such as: -

Range – While electric vehicles have zero emissions, this comes at a cost. Ideally, you’d like to charge your vehicle as little as possible. This means that the need to travel further on a single charge has never been greater. Better grip and efficiency are essential.

While a 10% increase may not sound a lot, it could be the difference between getting home in one hop, or having to stop for 30 mins to charge the vehicle.

Noise – Electric vehicles are quieter. In fact, if you choose the right tyres, they can actually be almost silent. Because they are quieter, loud tyres and road noise is even more noticeable. Electric vehicle tyres tend to be quieter.

Handling – Electric vehicles can be pretty high performance. Therefore, they can often need tyres that will allow this performance to be realised. Electric vehicle tyres need better tread patterns to ensure better performance.

Vehicle Weight – Electric vehicle batteries can often weigh a significant amount. As a result, EV tyres need to cope with this added weight without adding further load.

What to Look for in EV Tyres

In light of the above differences, here are some of the key features you need to consider when choosing an EV tyre.

Low Rolling Resistance

It is no secret that electric vehicles don’t travel quite as far as regular cars. Nor are they as quick to ‘fill up’. The upshot is that you’ll want to do all you can to maximise efficiency between charges. 

This is best achieved by making many small ‘optimisations’ that add up to a bigger whole when it comes to electric vehicles. 

By choosing a tyre with low rolling resistance, you can be sure that the energy from your battery is going towards getting you where you need to go and not wasted through inefficiency.

Increased Durability

As we said above, electric vehicles tend to be heavier than their gas-guzzling counterparts. As a result, there is a greater load, and therefore greater force, placed on your EV tyres. This is even more apparent when accelerating, decelerating and cornering.

You can prolong the life of your EV tyres by choosing a type specially formulated to cater for this fact.

Low Noise

Electric vehicles offer a quieter ride, and that’s a good thing.

The downside?

You’ll more easily notice road noise as a result of the quieter cabin. Regular tyres aren’t noisy as such, but you’ll get a much better driving experience if you choose tyres that have been created with the express purpose of reducing road noise.

Low Profile and Aerodynamics

Again, we are back to that word.

Efficiency.

Remember how we talked about optimum performance as the sum of several smaller parts?

You’ll tend to find that EV car tyres are thinner than those found on fuel-burning cars. The reason for this is that they create a lower aerodynamic profile. Less drag means more miles between charges. 

There is another reason why reducing tyre size can be a good thing for electric vehicles…

Lower Weight

When we said that EV cars are heavier, we meant it.

When you consider that the Tesla S battery weighs around 544kg (that’s over half a ton, by the way). The need to reduce weight where possible is of tantamount importance. 

Due to their slimmer profile, along with some clever compounds, a good EV tyre will weigh less, increasing your maximum range. 

You’ll also want to consider tyres with a rigid sidewall. There’s no point saving weight only to have that offset by carrying a heavy ‘spare’.

Revolutionary Pattern Designs

So, you’ve got a thinner tyre on a heavier (and often higher performance) EV car? Is that safe?

The good news is that, yes, it is.

While the contact patch between the tyre and the road is smaller, vehicle manufacturers have gone to great lengths to ensure that the tread on EV tyres is as grippy as possible, offering great performance, even though there is less surface area in contact with the road. 

Finding the Best Deals on EV Tyres

Sourcing tyres for electric vehicles can be tricky, as they are still relatively ‘new’ technology. There’s no guarantee that your local garage has extensive experience in electric vehicles. However, there is an easier way.

Motokiki can easily find the perfect tyre for your vehicle. All we need is your registration number. From there, you’ll be presented with a range of options specifically matched to your exact make and model of vehicle. There are tyres to suit all budgets, expertly fitted locally.

Visit our website for more information. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is.