Ten years ago, you didn’t see many EV tires on the market, but with how popular EVs have become recently, most major tire companies today have found the time has come to start offering their own EV tire products. But why? What’s the point?
Well, it makes sense when you think about it. EVs have two major factors working against their tires: Weight and torque.
You’ll find most EVs are a bit heavier than their gasoline-powered counterparts. Hey, batteries are heavy; the industry’s working on that. But a heavier load translates into faster tire wear.
To compensate for this, tire companies go out of their way to use more robust, stronger building materials to manufacture these tires.
These heavier vehicles typically have more mass than their ICE counterparts as well. More mass means increased inertia, and this translates to a longer braking distance. So, look to the tread and you’ll find tire manufacturers are often concerned about road grip as well in these EV tires.
Next is torque, and in EVs it’s near-instant. More torque means higher tire wear.
As a result, tire manufacturers keep a close eye on the rubber compounds they’re using in these tires, making sure they’re up to snuff. The goal is a smooth, low-impact ride with as little rolling resistance as possible. This not only makes tires longer lasting and more efficient, but also delivers the greatest possible range on a single charge.
Oh yeah, there’s one more issue to worry about in EVs too – noise! Electric cars are very quiet in relation to their gasoline-powered counterparts, so tire noise is going to be extremely obvious to passengers. Talking tires, manufacturers typically revisit tire compounding and construction as well, to deliver the most silent experience possible.
My name’s David Sickels, and this is The EV Impact Show. See you next time.
