It's worth a thought that in mild climates like most of UK an all seasons tyre can work well. The classic one here is Michelin Crossclimate , but all major brands have a decent offering.
Thanks for the PSA reminder to check the spare's pressure. Back in the day, Goodyear's "normal" loss-of-pressure rate was documented as 1 PSI/month; your spare tire could be functionally flat in two years, and during routine checks in our shop, the first time a customer brought their vehicle in, 4/5 times the spare was flat.
@@mrxmry3264I've been living with two vehicles with no factory spare for seven years ('10 Sienna AWD, '14 RAV4 EV) and their functioning TPMS has kept me well informed of the tyres' inflation pressure, allowing me to reinflate and/or repair the low tyre well in advance of not being able to drive to a tyre shop. If you *must* have a spare, then perhaps a tiny air compressor onboard is a good idea; the '14 RAV4 EV has one from Toyota. But most pressure leaks in tyres are slow and will be caught by the TPMS that most modern cars have, well in advance of needing to lug around, test, and maintain another device. If there's a catastrophic loss of air, then only a spare tyre will do. Manually checking the spare's air pressure annually isn't a big ask.
Availability might also play a part in your tire choice. I have Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tires in my car because the Pilot Sport 4 EV was impossible to get.
Nokians are somewhat difficult to get in the US too along with pretty much any EV tire that Tesla doesn't use. If you're on 15s or 16s your only options are the Bridgestone Ecopias that the prius used for a lot of years.
Great topic ! Engineering Explained covered different aspects of the physics and material science for the gear heads. Thank you for publishing this report, cool stuff!😊
Except dude was saying that the impact of wider tires is due to larger frontal area. Of course it’s harder to push a larger thing through the air at 70 mph but I don’t believe that’s a significant factor compared to actual rolling resistance. Obviously a wider wheel and tire will be less efficient. Obviously a heavier wheel and tire will be less efficient. But the unanswered question remains. Everything else being equal, is a 235 on a 18” wheel inherently more efficient than a lower profile 235 on a 20”?
Two things will come into play in that scenario. The first is the rotational inertia of the tire/wheel combo. The 20" combo will have greater rotational inertia, which will increase its energy usage in stop-and-go driving. At a constant speed, the rotational inertia has no effect. What will have an effect at a constant speed is the amount of strain energy being put into and then released from the sidewall deformation as the tire rotates. Assuming the same effective rolling diameter of the two combos (which may or may not be a safe assumption depending on which tire model you're talking about), the strain in the 18" sidewall will be lower because its deforming a smaller percentage of the sidewall height. In general, this will lead to a more elastic process of the tire deforming, which will lower the amount of energy being expended to cyclically deform the tire as it rotates. @@5ervicemonkey
@@frederick-DIY The other thing larger wheels do is churn up more air and make more turbulence at highway speeds. The 20" wheels have 20% more area than an 18" wheel, so on a same sized combo, 20% more of the combo is going to be smooth tire sidewall. Putting inserts into my LEAF's 16" wheels gave me about 4 miles more range at 65mph or about 6%.
@@extragoode very true, especially with identical void percentages between the wheels. The Ioniq 5 has a double whammy problem in that regard since the 20” wheels actually have a higher void percentage than the 19” wheels.
I own a Bolt and I don't like the OEM tires. They wear like iron, but they also grip like iron. In the rain I consider them dangerous. I would gladly sacrifice 5% or 10% range for more grip, which would also better match my driving style. But do a search on high performance EV tires and what do you get? A whole bunch of 18, 19 and 20 inch tires for Taycans or Plaids, but zip, zero, nada for my Bolt’s 17 inch wheels. The tire manufacturers are missing a market here. About Mini spares, generally you should not run them on the drive wheels, as the difference in diameter means the differential has to do more work and may overheat if driven hard. The difference in diameter can also confuse the traction control software, as it can interpret the difference in wheel speed as meaning the one tire must be skidding.
OEM spares are sized to be the same OD at the supplied service wheels, so there's no rolling diameter discrepancy. If someone is buying an aftermarket spare, this is a valid concern.
You must be in the US. The best tire I could find for my LEAF's 16" wheels was Bridgestone Ecopias, a relic from when Toyota STARTED making the prius. You say manufacturers are missing a market, but I just figured there wasn't enough of a market to justify making tires available. I mean I've put about 50k miles on my LEAF and am still on my second set of tires.
Awesome video, thank you! We ordered winter tires for our BMW i4 through Costco. At the first scheduled appointment, they refused to install the tires because the speed rating wasn’t high enough. Their words. After about 15 minutes of trying to explain that a) these were ordered through Costco using their online tire selector, b) the car’s maximum possible speed is below the tire speed rating, and c) no one is or should be driving at a speed anywhere near the maximum rating in winter (!), they rescheduled us and installed the tires a few days later. We’re talking about Michelin X Ice XL rated tires here. So, it does pay to do homework on tire options. And, to still be a polite and respectful customer even when the seller is flat out wrong.
I've been driving with Nokian hakkapeliittas in the winter for the last 12 years and they've never failed me. Gives me a lot of confidence crossing the passes in Washington state and I've never needed to chain up despite it being a front drive only vehicle.
@@alsavage1 they are pricey but the peace of mind they provide more than makes up for it. I'll certainly put them on my aptera 'when' it is finally available. I say when because I'm trying to be positive.
I was quite impressed with the Hakkas I put on my old Tesla. I recently switched to a lightning, and the second set of wheels I bought for winter came with blizzaks on them, They're "good enough" that I'll run them until they wear out, but I'll probably replace them with Hakkas after that.
Also keep in mind that many OEM tires are designed with less tread than the same brand and model you would buy aftermarket. This saves money, weight, and sometimes makes the ride better for the new car.
NIKKI!!! I am sitting in the tire shop getting Continental ProContact tires put on my 2017 Bolt EV RIGHT NOW! 😂 I could have used this video LAST WEEK! LOL! Edit: Getting 4 not one tire...🙄
My Model S came with Goodyear tyres OE but I found them quite noisy. I switched to Michelin Pilot Sport and haven’t looked back. However I have had 3 screws end up in my tyres over the cars life, generally soon after a new set🤬. On one occasion when I had to get a screw removed was away from home and I went to a random tyre shop to get it done. That’s when they refilled the repaired tyre to 32psi instead of the required 45psi but assured me the TPMS would turn off after a while. They were happy to fill the tyre up when I pointed out the required pressure.
17:00 Not to get into the weeds but this is a great example of what NOT to do. That spare tire "solution" takes a tire that's too small for the Bolt, pairs it with a jack that's not compatible with the Bolt and sells it for more than twice what it's worth. They did such a bad job for the Bolt that I assume the whole company is a scam. FWIW I was able to put together a real spare tire for my 2017 Bolt. Bought a 15" steel wheel and a 205/65-15 non-temporary tire from Tire Rack for less than $150 including shipping AND mount and balancing. Paired that with a Chevy S-10 jack (that actually is compatible with the Bolt) I picked up from a junkyard for $30 and a collapsible lug nut wrench for $20 so for less than $200 all in I have the right size tire (205/65-15 is the exact same diameter as the Bolt's factory tire size of 215/50-177) that I can drive as fast as I want for as long as I need, and a jack that both fits the Bolt and can support it's weight (being how much else these people got wrong I doubt the jack they sell can support the Bolt).
My solution for flats was to carry a tire plug kit and air compressor, super light and fixes most flats. That's also why I chose NOT to use runflats, they can't or aren't supposed to be plugged.
back in germany i had a car with a top speed beyond 200 km/h (125 mph for all you yankees out there) but my winter tires had a limit of 160 km/h (100 mph). so i printed out a little speed limit sign (IIRC it was about 5 cm in diameter) and stuck it to the steering wheel with sticky tape.
Tires are made with a remarkable amount of fault tolerance (I'm certain there's a better term for this, but I can't think of right now), so I'm sure they wouldn't have instantly flew apart as soon as you hit 161km/h, but still better safe than sorry. One of my friends aired their tires up to 90psi because they didn't have a gauge and just filled them up until "the tire stopped squishing" even though the tires were rated for 44psi. They had already driven on them for 100 miles like that!
For me, I've never had any issues with range so I don't worry about it. I also don't drive much in the snow or ice. Having hydroplaned before, (in an ice car) that is usually my main concern when buying tires. Wet and rain performance. Very nice informative video.
Live in the EU? Get Michelin CrossClimate 2, they are great and top performer in summer AND winter compared to 1-specific season tyres. Edit; second choice Goodyear vector 4 seasons with 3pmf snowflake icon. Most sporty summery-feeling all Season with 3-pmf get vredestein quatrac pro EV specific all Season tyres
Unfortunately, rolling resistance is something that manufacturers don't like to talk about in their tires except the extreme rare example where they say it's "low" but no quantifiable metrics. Makes it VERY difficult to compare. I was however shocked that my Hakkas on my Tesla actually seemed to have less rolling resistance than the stock all season tire that came with the car. I was pleasantly surprised!
What is it about low profile tires that makes them have high rolling resistance? Seems counterintuitive to me. I am having a hard time finding the answer to this. Thanks.
In over 25 years of driving, I have never changed a tire on the side of the road, or called someone else to do it. I have however always carried a radial tire puncture repair kit (the kind with tar covered strings that you shove into the hole with a special tool), and have used it several times. Faster than changing a tire, and although they claim to be "temporary", I've always found it to be a permanent fix that has lasted the rest of the life of the tire. My new Lightning does have a spare tire, but I am also carrying my patch kit and an compressor. That's far more likely to be used (in fact I've already used it once less than 2 months into my ownership when I ran over a screw).
@@alsavage1 they're fairly common up here, though I didn't feel the need with the outback. Now that I'm getting used to the kona I probably will go with studless winter tyres in the future.
Thanks for the tips on tires 🛞 I've been researching all the options myself for my Kia EV6. At first, like most people, I was scared to go away from the OEM tires. But like you said, most are not purpose built for the car. I was afraid going to a different tire would mean much less range for me. But I haven't noticed a difference at all. Just one tip is to rotate your tires more often. My original tires were bald in the front but had a few more months left in the back. Every 5000 miles or so is a good interval. It's definitely a shorter interval to rotate compared to ICE cars.
Nokia doesn't make tires for a Chevy Spark EV which are 185/55R15 and 195/55R15 tires, I own a 2015 Spark EV. Firestone does in the Champion Fuel Fighter tires.
6 years, >200k miles of EV driving, and I have found non-EV tires last longer and handle far better with un-measurable range loss. Additionally, they have higher weight and speed ratings, and lastly, they are far quieter.
Tire pressure was never a big deal for me but suddenly is. My 2018 VW e-Golf, while just a base model, seems to have Tire Pressure Monitoring System tied into my Traction Control module. In the weird weather we have been having here in Canada this winter with temperatures swinging wildly from week to week my TPMS has identified differing tire pressures that I blame on temperature swings combined with incredibly poor road conditions and Freeze/thaw cycle potholes. Yep I'm learning ... or is that evolving 🤔
Are you _sure_ of your definition for rolling resistance? I would only expect that the friction between "the contact patch of the tire and the road" can ONLY be of interest if the tire is skidding. Except for when they're going around a corner, there IS no relative motion between the tire's contact patch and the road surface, and therefore the friction between the two is irrelevant as far as losses go. Where I WOULD expect an energy loss would be in the necessary process of continuously deforming the tire from its round shape to the flattened one that provides the contact patch.
I have a ICE car. I am car nut and used to work in a tyre shop in the 90s. I have just had some named tyres that are more expensive last slightly longer but gave no confidence in handling and cornering... I have corner I can take on a open road at 120 kph with my cheaper tyres and only 80 kph with better brand... Also smaller rim size is less rounding mass and takes less power than bigger rim. F1 cars found problems when went from 15 inch to 18 inch rims.... Power loss is Big.... Good article all the same.
Yeah, the OEM tires for my model 3 would have been way more expensive for way less grip in every type of weather and way less lifespan than the Michelin Cross Climate 2 tires I went with, really the only way the Michelins are worse is that they are slightly louder. I do notice the sound a little more with the Michelins, but it doesn't bother me at all. Tesla also started off recommending a good tire pressure, which is on the door jam of my car, but then later decided to have the software recommend slightly over inflating tires for better rolling resistance (and therefore longer range per charge) but worse tire wear, so it's not always as simple as just using the pressure the manufacturer recommends. I run the original door jam recommendation now after running at the software recommendation wore out the middle of my original tires way faster than the inner and outer edges of them, way better for safety, the environment, and my wallet that way.
I watched/listened to Steve Lehto's video about a lottery winner. At the end Heather commented that participants affect the game and spectators watch. UA-cam decided that I should listen to this next and you started with participants and spectators. Was that the algorithm or what?
Sadly, until recently, the electric motorcycle makers seemed to want the weirdest tyre sizes they could think of. So it's really a matter of digging through tyre catalogues to just find something that fits at all, and is even vaguely similar to the one at the other end.
I'm running Michelin X-Tour All-Season T+H on my '14 RAV4 EV; at 70k mi. on them, they've still got another year or two to go before they'll be ready to be replaced. Michelins cost more, but they're the only brand I'll buy. I've had soooo many out-of-round, impossible-to-balance new tires over the years, all of which went away when I switched all our vehicles to Michelin. 'Nuf said. The OEM tire pressure placard specifies 40 PSI; I run mine at 35, for ride quality improvement. Yes, I pay for that in reduced range, but honestly it's just not that much difference.
I just put Michelin Crossclimates on my M3. Good ride, sound and grip but cut my range down over 10 percent from stock 18 inch tires. I think i'm going to have to switch back to stock MIchelins for summer road trips or just stop more for charging.
If taller sidewalls are more efficient (and that's what my research found too), why have sidewalls been getting shorter for years? My 25-yr old van has /70 sidewalls which are clearly not a common option any more.
Short sidewalls roll less in a corner, so racers use them. People see short sidewalls on a racecar and think they look fast, so they ask for short sidewalls on their car. After a couple decades of that all you can buy are giant wheels with tiny tires on them. It's just one more thing consumers over the years have caused to be less efficient for esthetics.
I'm bothered by not having a spare tire in our 2024 Tucson PHEV. They include some sort of repair kit, but I assume that is just the goo that gums everything up. There really isn't the space in the rear for a spare so I think I might have to just get over my apprehension.
The trend has been to eliminate spare tyres. My 2010 Sienna AWD came with no spare and factory-supplied run-flats; I opted to roll the dice and run standard Michelins when the OEMs expired. My '14 RAV4 EV shipped with no spare and with a miracle-in-a-can + air compressor. Both vehicles have tire pressure monitoring systems. Knock wood, I've not had a flat while owning either of them (95k miles between them under my ownership), though I've had several "low pressure" alarm events: the TPMS lights a warning on the dash, and I go look for a leak. One nail, two screws, and one leaky valve stem on a TPMS sensor (alloy rim, Florida van = corrosion). So far, no flats. Some modern technology is beneficial -- most of it is fluff (IMO). Unfortunately, the batteries are not deemed user-replaceable in TPMS sensors, so replacing the sensors in the wheels at 6-10 years is a real cash-cow for the auto repair industry, and I bought my own bead-breaker and Autel MaxiTPMS programming tool so I can replace them myself; tyre shops wanted >$300 to do the job -- for *dead batteries*. Ugh.
Many people obsess over relatively small differences in range when in reality these changes in range don't in practice make that much difference as to how they use their EV. Things like wet braking or comfort are in reality more important, but that isn't their perception. I think the focus on range in the car/EV media is making people physiologically more sensitive to small range differences than those differences really merit.
Not necessarily, my used LEAF came with the cheapest Firestone tires the dealer had on it and when I changed them for Bridgestone Ecopia LRR tires I gained 6 miles range or about 10%. The Bridgestones were also quieter, handled better and got fewer flats than the Firestones, but they also probably cost more. I don't know because the Firestones were some dealer only model that's not even sold to the public. That additional range gave me 2 to 3 more years of battery degradation until the car is no longer useful to me, so it very much did make a difference in my case. Granted that's the difference between one of the worst tires to the best one I could source in the US, other differences would be smaller.
I wish we had the European tire scale here in the US. Plan ahead and order in what you want before your tires get too worn out, but that's not an option with a flat.
Ah, contact patch size mostly depends on the weight and tyre pressure. It's slightly altered by tyre stiffness, but not much. It's obvious when you think about it. If you push on a balloon with 40 psi in it with a force of 400 pounds, then you can only push an area of 10 square inches. If the tyre is pushing against 20 square inches with 40 psi, then it must be pushing 800 pounds.
I have some cross climate 2s on my Bolt, they're great. I haven't had trouble in the CO snow over the last few years, though I don't try nearly as much 'fun' driving as I did in my Subarus. I don't drive enough to justify spending a few hundred dollars on a 2nd set of tires to swap to to save a couple pennies per mile. The CC2s are louder than stock.
My personal experience is that rolling resistance doesnt REALLY make much difference; I fitted tyres based on a balance of braking and wet/cold weather handling performance; yet I am still achieving the original range given for the car, despite it being 7 years old and 0.9KWh down on battery capacity. Rolling resistance is a tiny percentage of what affects range, and the differences between the best and worst tyres in a range is only a few percent. Smaller wheels and tyres are probably helping more from their reduced WEIGHT. After days of reading and watching tyre reviews, I went for Bridgestone Potenza T005; although I am a fan of Nokian, and have used them on my ICE cars in the past. One final comment; manufacturers allow a range of tyre widths/depth ratios per wheel size, but some insurers will cancel policies if you decide to choose anything but the default fitted size - had this happen to me.
Yes, you can get much more range by adjusting the nut behind the wheel than by buying lower rolling resistance tires, but once you've done that improvements in equipment can be noticeable.
@@extragoode Years ago I got asked to drive a Jag owning Bank Manager around for the day; prior to starting, I asked what cruising speed he wanted on the motorway (pre speed cameras); he replied 80. So off we set, him in the back going over paperwork, me driving, down from the Midlands on the M5/M40/M4, then around London, visiting various Bank Branches; so a good mix of motorway and congested driving. At the end of the day, he noticed the trip computer showing 28MPG; "How did you manage that? The best I have ever seen before was 24". He sounded a bit peeved; I said that I had always had a knack for getting good MPG out of any car. He didnt reply to that, just paid me off - and never hired me again. Smooth driving and anticipation gives far better real world results than the difference between the very best and very worst rolling resistance tyres; I would far rather be confident the car wouldnt aquaplane if I encountered a deep puddle mid-corner, than the extra 1 mile of theoretical range the low rolling resistance tyres offered.
A bit adjustment when switching to EV was the stopping distance I was used to just pressing the clutch down and tapping the brakes, but I was almost caught out a couple of times in my first month of an EV because I wasn't using regen braking to help. I'm unsure if these little adjustment periods are talked about enough
in 40 years of driving in nebraska all i ever used were all season tires, that and a little common sense was all i ever needed. have yet to shop for EV tires. always knew that OEM tires were always aceptable tires that the manufacture got for a good price. thats why they always wore out in about 30,000 miles.
Helpful advice for EV'angelists. My experience has been to simply continue to use the brand of tire that my EVs came with from the factory. Yes, I could probably find even more efficient alternatives, but I think the effect on range is likely negligible.
Great, practical advice. I was definitely under the impression before buying an EV that they used special tires and rims. A little research made it clear that while there are specialized tires and rims for EVs, they are not required or even necessary. I do like how incredibly light my FastWheels EV01 rims are tho and there are some neat noise dampening features in some of the EV-targeted tires
Good advice. Also quite a few manufacturers make Tesla recommended tires. From the manual: "Choose a Tesla-approved tire which is designed specifically for your vehicle. Most Tesla-approved tires can be identified with a Tx specification (for example, T0, T1, T2). Tesla-approved tires are designed to reduce road noise and optimize handling, ride, and range." That said, as you say there are other tires that will also work well and the T designated tires should also be a good choice for other EVs.
@@transportevolved Perhaps paid, but also tested by Tesla. The last sentence of my post addresses that there are other tires that work. I use winter tires that aren't T rated. Again, very good video. Thanks.
@@alsavage1 Of course they test products they put on their cars, as do many other car companies. They even have tires specifically developed for their vehicles in some cases.
@@StormyDog If Tesla specs to use only tires with a Tx designation, they are not testing other mfgrs' tires: they're stating that if you use some tire, and it doesn't have that spec, Tesla lays not claim to liability. Tesla doesn't test Brand X tires to see if they meet the Tx spec.
You say you can jack your vehicle up and change your tire if you have one. I am a little concerned about that. I wonder if you jack up the say drivers side front corner that the battery will flex. Meaning slidely warps. That might cause the battery box seal to maybe get compromised? I want to change my own winter tires but I am concerned about this. Does anybody have any thoughts on this?
As long as you follow the recommended points listed in your EV owners' manual, and you follow all the recommended instructions, you'll be fine@@bossman6174. Automakers wouldn't be allowed to publish an owners' manual that gives unsafe instruction.... (at least, if they did, it would be recalled)
@@transportevolved well there is nothing in the manual about jacking the car up. It doesn't even have a jack in the trunk. They recommend going to the stealership to have the tires done. If you have a flat then there is this foam canister that I have to empty in the tire. For me it's an hours drive to the dealer's and an hour back. I can do it myself in 20 minutes. It's a 2019 Hyundai Kona. Love the car but this has become a bit of an issue.
Two items that nobody has been able to explain to me are these. First, I had heard that winter tires have less rolling resistance in cold weather than all season tires. Assuming tire size and pressure are the same, I would expect a winter tire to be softer and slightly more difficult to roll. What, if anything makes a winter tire more efficient in cold weather? Second, it’s obvious that optional larger wheels that include wider tires would be less efficient. (Let’s assume no significant variation in overall diameter (revolutions per mile)) Size 235 should be more efficient than 245. But how about smaller wheel and taller tire vs taller wheel and shorter tire of the same width. I’m aware of the handling vs ride tradeoff but would efficiency take a hit? Oh and the third of my two questions would be if I wanted to get winter tires, going to a wider size would probably be less helpful in the snow. That makes me wonder when a narrower size would be advisable?
Hi! We're not tire experts of course, but winter tires with low rolling resistance use multiple compounds that allow the tire to remain supple enough for good grip in cold weather, but also have additional features (both structural and compound related) that allow the tire to remain structurally stable - something that reduces friction within the tire away from the tread). We're sure that the tire companies will do a better job explaining that we can. As for wheels? Smaller wheels and taller tires are always more efficient - or at least should be. We'd guess that taller tires and smaller wheels will be lighter than larger wheels and shorter tires even if their contact areas are similar. (We think that's what you were asking). And winter? It's traditional to go down a wheel size and opt for taller tires in winter :)
@@transportevolved thanks for the response and always thanks for the excellent report. I didn’t mean to sound criticizing. Nikki is my favorite UA-camr with Kate a close second.
Here in Germany you cannot just use any tire for any car, even if it fits. Cars must use tires that have been certified specifically for that make and model of vehicle, and nothing else.
That sounds completely insane. Shirley, it is enough that it is the correct dimension and has the correct speed and load rating. I refuse to believe for a second that if I introduce a new tire brand to the German market I have to find a 2002 BMW 525i and run a series of tests with that car, so the authorities can approve that people with 2002 BMW 525is can use my tire!
@@geirmyrvagnes8718 well TÜV is an insane organization, not only do they dictate stuff for cars but also other stuff. I recently work at a telecommunications company and TÜV audited the mobile phone transmitters and sent my company audit data in Excel files when they clearly knew nothing about Microsoft Excel.
Using unapproved tires in Germany? There’s a punchline but it might be offensive so I’ll bite my proverbial tongue. & don’t call me Shirley, at least not in public.
Got 60,000 miles out of Ecopia 422 plus tires on my e-Golf, and could have made them last to 70,000 miles but they were showing a bit of UV damage and Bridgestone had a sale.
@@transportevolved sorry to hear. I find them quiet (when they don’t have tire plugs in them from screws) and comfortable and very efficient so I can squeeze out the most range from my car’s ~28.5 kWh usable battery pack.
@@transportevolved What didn't you like about them on your LEAF? I have them on my LEAF right now and the only problem I've had is that 3 of the 4 of them have had belts separate, but that was covered by the tire warranty at least.
![[UA] NAVI проти G2 Esports | Blast Premier Fall Final](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QWlIm4FGESQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Any consensus as to whether the foam liners being put in some EV tires actually help with noise?
It's worth a thought that in mild climates like most of UK an all seasons tyre can work well. The classic one here is Michelin Crossclimate , but all major brands have a decent offering.
Crossclimate 2 works better then most summer/snow tyres aswell, it’s good in summer and winter
9:30 I’ve had so many tire shops and dealer service depts misinflate tires. Always check!
In the Midwest US, it doesn't matter if you ask, you're getting 32PSI every time. I don't even try, I just take it home and air it up to what I want.
For me, with an early EV and a small battery, range is the #1 consideration when it comes to tires. Tire choice can make a really big difference.
Thanks for the PSA reminder to check the spare's pressure. Back in the day, Goodyear's "normal" loss-of-pressure rate was documented as 1 PSI/month; your spare tire could be functionally flat in two years, and during routine checks in our shop, the first time a customer brought their vehicle in, 4/5 times the spare was flat.
that's why i think it would be a good idea to have a little compressor in the car.
@@mrxmry3264I've been living with two vehicles with no factory spare for seven years ('10 Sienna AWD, '14 RAV4 EV) and their functioning TPMS has kept me well informed of the tyres' inflation pressure, allowing me to reinflate and/or repair the low tyre well in advance of not being able to drive to a tyre shop.
If you *must* have a spare, then perhaps a tiny air compressor onboard is a good idea; the '14 RAV4 EV has one from Toyota. But most pressure leaks in tyres are slow and will be caught by the TPMS that most modern cars have, well in advance of needing to lug around, test, and maintain another device.
If there's a catastrophic loss of air, then only a spare tyre will do. Manually checking the spare's air pressure annually isn't a big ask.
What's a spare? Jk
A spare is when you knock down all the pins with 2 balls 🤣🤣
-- get a chargehanger.
Availability might also play a part in your tire choice. I have Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tires in my car because the Pilot Sport 4 EV was impossible to get.
Nokians are somewhat difficult to get in the US too along with pretty much any EV tire that Tesla doesn't use. If you're on 15s or 16s your only options are the Bridgestone Ecopias that the prius used for a lot of years.
Great topic ! Engineering Explained covered different aspects of the physics and material science for the gear heads. Thank you for publishing this report, cool stuff!😊
Except dude was saying that the impact of wider tires is due to larger frontal area. Of course it’s harder to push a larger thing through the air at 70 mph but I don’t believe that’s a significant factor compared to actual rolling resistance.
Obviously a wider wheel and tire will be less efficient. Obviously a heavier wheel and tire will be less efficient. But the unanswered question remains. Everything else being equal, is a 235 on a 18” wheel inherently more efficient than a lower profile 235 on a 20”?
@5ervicemonkey I too thought aero was insignificant, however some vehicles have small aero wedges or dams in front of tyres
Two things will come into play in that scenario. The first is the rotational inertia of the tire/wheel combo. The 20" combo will have greater rotational inertia, which will increase its energy usage in stop-and-go driving. At a constant speed, the rotational inertia has no effect. What will have an effect at a constant speed is the amount of strain energy being put into and then released from the sidewall deformation as the tire rotates. Assuming the same effective rolling diameter of the two combos (which may or may not be a safe assumption depending on which tire model you're talking about), the strain in the 18" sidewall will be lower because its deforming a smaller percentage of the sidewall height. In general, this will lead to a more elastic process of the tire deforming, which will lower the amount of energy being expended to cyclically deform the tire as it rotates. @@5ervicemonkey
@@frederick-DIY The other thing larger wheels do is churn up more air and make more turbulence at highway speeds. The 20" wheels have 20% more area than an 18" wheel, so on a same sized combo, 20% more of the combo is going to be smooth tire sidewall. Putting inserts into my LEAF's 16" wheels gave me about 4 miles more range at 65mph or about 6%.
@@extragoode very true, especially with identical void percentages between the wheels. The Ioniq 5 has a double whammy problem in that regard since the 20” wheels actually have a higher void percentage than the 19” wheels.
Thank you Nikki (and team!). Solid info here.
I own a Bolt and I don't like the OEM tires. They wear like iron, but they also grip like iron. In the rain I consider them dangerous. I would gladly sacrifice 5% or 10% range for more grip, which would also better match my driving style. But do a search on high performance EV tires and what do you get? A whole bunch of 18, 19 and 20 inch tires for Taycans or Plaids, but zip, zero, nada for my Bolt’s 17 inch wheels. The tire manufacturers are missing a market here.
About Mini spares, generally you should not run them on the drive wheels, as the difference in diameter means the differential has to do more work and may overheat if driven hard. The difference in diameter can also confuse the traction control software, as it can interpret the difference in wheel speed as meaning the one tire must be skidding.
OEM spares are sized to be the same OD at the supplied service wheels, so there's no rolling diameter discrepancy. If someone is buying an aftermarket spare, this is a valid concern.
You must be in the US. The best tire I could find for my LEAF's 16" wheels was Bridgestone Ecopias, a relic from when Toyota STARTED making the prius. You say manufacturers are missing a market, but I just figured there wasn't enough of a market to justify making tires available. I mean I've put about 50k miles on my LEAF and am still on my second set of tires.
Generally true today, but not true for the minispares that used to come on cars.@@alsavage1
Awesome video, thank you! We ordered winter tires for our BMW i4 through Costco. At the first scheduled appointment, they refused to install the tires because the speed rating wasn’t high enough. Their words. After about 15 minutes of trying to explain that a) these were ordered through Costco using their online tire selector, b) the car’s maximum possible speed is below the tire speed rating, and c) no one is or should be driving at a speed anywhere near the maximum rating in winter (!), they rescheduled us and installed the tires a few days later. We’re talking about Michelin X Ice XL rated tires here. So, it does pay to do homework on tire options. And, to still be a polite and respectful customer even when the seller is flat out wrong.
I've been driving with Nokian hakkapeliittas in the winter for the last 12 years and they've never failed me. Gives me a lot of confidence crossing the passes in Washington state and I've never needed to chain up despite it being a front drive only vehicle.
Really, the only downside to Hakkapeliittas is their price, and somewhat limited size availability.
@@alsavage1 they are pricey but the peace of mind they provide more than makes up for it. I'll certainly put them on my aptera 'when' it is finally available. I say when because I'm trying to be positive.
I was quite impressed with the Hakkas I put on my old Tesla. I recently switched to a lightning, and the second set of wheels I bought for winter came with blizzaks on them, They're "good enough" that I'll run them until they wear out, but I'll probably replace them with Hakkas after that.
Also keep in mind that many OEM tires are designed with less tread than the same brand and model you would buy aftermarket. This saves money, weight, and sometimes makes the ride better for the new car.
NIKKI!!! I am sitting in the tire shop getting Continental ProContact tires put on my 2017 Bolt EV RIGHT NOW! 😂
I could have used this video LAST WEEK! LOL!
Edit: Getting 4 not one tire...🙄
My Model S came with Goodyear tyres OE but I found them quite noisy. I switched to Michelin Pilot Sport and haven’t looked back. However I have had 3 screws end up in my tyres over the cars life, generally soon after a new set🤬. On one occasion when I had to get a screw removed was away from home and I went to a random tyre shop to get it done.
That’s when they refilled the repaired tyre to 32psi instead of the required 45psi but assured me the TPMS would turn off after a while. They were happy to fill the tyre up when I pointed out the required pressure.
17:00 Not to get into the weeds but this is a great example of what NOT to do. That spare tire "solution" takes a tire that's too small for the Bolt, pairs it with a jack that's not compatible with the Bolt and sells it for more than twice what it's worth. They did such a bad job for the Bolt that I assume the whole company is a scam.
FWIW I was able to put together a real spare tire for my 2017 Bolt. Bought a 15" steel wheel and a 205/65-15 non-temporary tire from Tire Rack for less than $150 including shipping AND mount and balancing. Paired that with a Chevy S-10 jack (that actually is compatible with the Bolt) I picked up from a junkyard for $30 and a collapsible lug nut wrench for $20 so for less than $200 all in I have the right size tire (205/65-15 is the exact same diameter as the Bolt's factory tire size of 215/50-177) that I can drive as fast as I want for as long as I need, and a jack that both fits the Bolt and can support it's weight (being how much else these people got wrong I doubt the jack they sell can support the Bolt).
My solution for flats was to carry a tire plug kit and air compressor, super light and fixes most flats. That's also why I chose NOT to use runflats, they can't or aren't supposed to be plugged.
All weather tires rather than all season tires. There’s a difference.
back in germany i had a car with a top speed beyond 200 km/h (125 mph for all you yankees out there) but my winter tires had a limit of 160 km/h (100 mph). so i printed out a little speed limit sign (IIRC it was about 5 cm in diameter) and stuck it to the steering wheel with sticky tape.
Tires are made with a remarkable amount of fault tolerance (I'm certain there's a better term for this, but I can't think of right now), so I'm sure they wouldn't have instantly flew apart as soon as you hit 161km/h, but still better safe than sorry. One of my friends aired their tires up to 90psi because they didn't have a gauge and just filled them up until "the tire stopped squishing" even though the tires were rated for 44psi. They had already driven on them for 100 miles like that!
I have a 2020 Tesla and love my Michelin Cross Climate 2. Great for all season Midwest driving.
Would love to see a collab with Tyre Reviews to come up with data and test some of our assumptions around LRR and grip, etc.
For me, I've never had any issues with range so I don't worry about it. I also don't drive much in the snow or ice. Having hydroplaned before, (in an ice car) that is usually my main concern when buying tires. Wet and rain performance. Very nice informative video.
Live in the EU? Get Michelin CrossClimate 2, they are great and top performer in summer AND winter compared to 1-specific season tyres.
Edit; second choice Goodyear vector 4 seasons with 3pmf snowflake icon.
Most sporty summery-feeling all
Season with 3-pmf get vredestein quatrac pro EV specific all
Season tyres
Thank you for all the very helpful information.
Unfortunately, rolling resistance is something that manufacturers don't like to talk about in their tires except the extreme rare example where they say it's "low" but no quantifiable metrics. Makes it VERY difficult to compare.
I was however shocked that my Hakkas on my Tesla actually seemed to have less rolling resistance than the stock all season tire that came with the car. I was pleasantly surprised!
What is it about low profile tires that makes them have high rolling resistance? Seems counterintuitive to me. I am having a hard time finding the answer to this. Thanks.
In over 25 years of driving, I have never changed a tire on the side of the road, or called someone else to do it. I have however always carried a radial tire puncture repair kit (the kind with tar covered strings that you shove into the hole with a special tool), and have used it several times. Faster than changing a tire, and although they claim to be "temporary", I've always found it to be a permanent fix that has lasted the rest of the life of the tire.
My new Lightning does have a spare tire, but I am also carrying my patch kit and an compressor. That's far more likely to be used (in fact I've already used it once less than 2 months into my ownership when I ran over a screw).
I thought the winter tyres on my outback were loud, but studded winter tyres on my kona are super loud! 😅
Studs are very loud. And they ruin pavement. Tore up my concrete driveway badly in five winters. I converted to studless.
@@alsavage1 they're fairly common up here, though I didn't feel the need with the outback. Now that I'm getting used to the kona I probably will go with studless winter tyres in the future.
Thanks for the tips on tires 🛞 I've been researching all the options myself for my Kia EV6. At first, like most people, I was scared to go away from the OEM tires. But like you said, most are not purpose built for the car. I was afraid going to a different tire would mean much less range for me. But I haven't noticed a difference at all.
Just one tip is to rotate your tires more often. My original tires were bald in the front but had a few more months left in the back. Every 5000 miles or so is a good interval. It's definitely a shorter interval to rotate compared to ICE cars.
Nokia doesn't make tires for a Chevy Spark EV which are 185/55R15 and 195/55R15 tires, I own a 2015 Spark EV. Firestone does in the Champion Fuel Fighter tires.
6 years, >200k miles of EV driving, and I have found non-EV tires last longer and handle far better with un-measurable range loss. Additionally, they have higher weight and speed ratings, and lastly, they are far quieter.
Tire pressure was never a big deal for me but suddenly is. My 2018 VW e-Golf, while just a base model, seems to have Tire Pressure Monitoring System tied into my Traction Control module. In the weird weather we have been having here in Canada this winter with temperatures swinging wildly from week to week my TPMS has identified differing tire pressures that I blame on temperature swings combined with incredibly poor road conditions and Freeze/thaw cycle potholes. Yep I'm learning ... or is that evolving 🤔
Are you _sure_ of your definition for rolling resistance? I would only expect that the friction between "the contact patch of the tire and the road" can ONLY be of interest if the tire is skidding. Except for when they're going around a corner, there IS no relative motion between the tire's contact patch and the road surface, and therefore the friction between the two is irrelevant as far as losses go. Where I WOULD expect an energy loss would be in the necessary process of continuously deforming the tire from its round shape to the flattened one that provides the contact patch.
I have a ICE car.
I am car nut and used to work in a tyre shop in the 90s.
I have just had some named tyres that are more expensive last slightly longer but gave no confidence in handling and cornering...
I have corner I can take on a open road at 120 kph with my cheaper tyres and only 80 kph with better brand...
Also smaller rim size is less rounding mass and takes less power than bigger rim.
F1 cars found problems when went from 15 inch to 18 inch rims.... Power loss is Big....
Good article all the same.
Yeah, the OEM tires for my model 3 would have been way more expensive for way less grip in every type of weather and way less lifespan than the Michelin Cross Climate 2 tires I went with, really the only way the Michelins are worse is that they are slightly louder. I do notice the sound a little more with the Michelins, but it doesn't bother me at all. Tesla also started off recommending a good tire pressure, which is on the door jam of my car, but then later decided to have the software recommend slightly over inflating tires for better rolling resistance (and therefore longer range per charge) but worse tire wear, so it's not always as simple as just using the pressure the manufacturer recommends. I run the original door jam recommendation now after running at the software recommendation wore out the middle of my original tires way faster than the inner and outer edges of them, way better for safety, the environment, and my wallet that way.
I watched/listened to Steve Lehto's video about a lottery winner. At the end Heather commented that participants affect the game and spectators watch. UA-cam decided that I should listen to this next and you started with participants and spectators. Was that the algorithm or what?
Why have you not explained the codes on tires for wear, etc. This is the information that a buyer needs to help evaluate their tire purchase.
I wish I had more options for my BMW i3. Only 2-3 brands have tyres on these dimensions in UK.
Sadly, until recently, the electric motorcycle makers seemed to want the weirdest tyre sizes they could think of. So it's really a matter of digging through tyre catalogues to just find something that fits at all, and is even vaguely similar to the one at the other end.
The tires that came with my Bolt are obviously low resistance. To the extent that the border on hazardous in wet conditions.
I'm running Michelin X-Tour All-Season T+H on my '14 RAV4 EV; at 70k mi. on them, they've still got another year or two to go before they'll be ready to be replaced. Michelins cost more, but they're the only brand I'll buy. I've had soooo many out-of-round, impossible-to-balance new tires over the years, all of which went away when I switched all our vehicles to Michelin. 'Nuf said.
The OEM tire pressure placard specifies 40 PSI; I run mine at 35, for ride quality improvement. Yes, I pay for that in reduced range, but honestly it's just not that much difference.
I agree 100%
I've had the best experience with Michelins on my EV and ice cars. Unfortunately I couldn't find any 16" LRR Michelins in the US.
Can I fit tyres to my Bolt or maybe I need Opel Ampera-e wheels to adapt to freedom units.
Thanks for another excellent video. Lots of excellent information.
Can we put all terrain tires on a model Y? For rougher terrain (dirt roads) daily driven
Yes, Tyre Reviews did a video called This is Why You Should NOT Fit OE Tires To Your Car where he tested Falken Wildpeak tires on a MY
@jongoode3296 ah thanks! Just watched-- does look like a good tire the Falken wild peak at!
@jongoode3296 thanks for that vid-- the wild peak at tires look good!
I just put Michelin Crossclimates on my M3. Good ride, sound and grip but cut my range down over 10 percent from stock 18 inch tires. I think i'm going to have to switch back to stock MIchelins for summer road trips or just stop more for charging.
I have cc2’s 18inch on my model 3, range is still the same or better. (Always inflated them to 0.3 to 0.5bar extra though, same with summers)
If taller sidewalls are more efficient (and that's what my research found too), why have sidewalls been getting shorter for years? My 25-yr old van has /70 sidewalls which are clearly not a common option any more.
Short sidewalls roll less in a corner, so racers use them. People see short sidewalls on a racecar and think they look fast, so they ask for short sidewalls on their car. After a couple decades of that all you can buy are giant wheels with tiny tires on them. It's just one more thing consumers over the years have caused to be less efficient for esthetics.
I'm bothered by not having a spare tire in our 2024 Tucson PHEV. They include some sort of repair kit, but I assume that is just the goo that gums everything up. There really isn't the space in the rear for a spare so I think I might have to just get over my apprehension.
The trend has been to eliminate spare tyres. My 2010 Sienna AWD came with no spare and factory-supplied run-flats; I opted to roll the dice and run standard Michelins when the OEMs expired.
My '14 RAV4 EV shipped with no spare and with a miracle-in-a-can + air compressor.
Both vehicles have tire pressure monitoring systems. Knock wood, I've not had a flat while owning either of them (95k miles between them under my ownership), though I've had several "low pressure" alarm events: the TPMS lights a warning on the dash, and I go look for a leak. One nail, two screws, and one leaky valve stem on a TPMS sensor (alloy rim, Florida van = corrosion). So far, no flats.
Some modern technology is beneficial -- most of it is fluff (IMO). Unfortunately, the batteries are not deemed user-replaceable in TPMS sensors, so replacing the sensors in the wheels at 6-10 years is a real cash-cow for the auto repair industry, and I bought my own bead-breaker and Autel MaxiTPMS programming tool so I can replace them myself; tyre shops wanted >$300 to do the job -- for *dead batteries*. Ugh.
Many people obsess over relatively small differences in range when in reality these changes in range don't in practice make that much difference as to how they use their EV. Things like wet braking or comfort are in reality more important, but that isn't their perception. I think the focus on range in the car/EV media is making people physiologically more sensitive to small range differences than those differences really merit.
Not necessarily, my used LEAF came with the cheapest Firestone tires the dealer had on it and when I changed them for Bridgestone Ecopia LRR tires I gained 6 miles range or about 10%. The Bridgestones were also quieter, handled better and got fewer flats than the Firestones, but they also probably cost more. I don't know because the Firestones were some dealer only model that's not even sold to the public. That additional range gave me 2 to 3 more years of battery degradation until the car is no longer useful to me, so it very much did make a difference in my case. Granted that's the difference between one of the worst tires to the best one I could source in the US, other differences would be smaller.
The cheapest AAA rated tyre usually does it for me, but sometimes you have to take AAB (and a slightly louder drive) because thats what there is.
I wish we had the European tire scale here in the US. Plan ahead and order in what you want before your tires get too worn out, but that's not an option with a flat.
Ah, contact patch size mostly depends on the weight and tyre pressure. It's slightly altered by tyre stiffness, but not much.
It's obvious when you think about it. If you push on a balloon with 40 psi in it with a force of 400 pounds, then you can only push an area of 10 square inches. If the tyre is pushing against 20 square inches with 40 psi, then it must be pushing 800 pounds.
I have some cross climate 2s on my Bolt, they're great. I haven't had trouble in the CO snow over the last few years, though I don't try nearly as much 'fun' driving as I did in my Subarus.
I don't drive enough to justify spending a few hundred dollars on a 2nd set of tires to swap to to save a couple pennies per mile.
The CC2s are louder than stock.
My personal experience is that rolling resistance doesnt REALLY make much difference; I fitted tyres based on a balance of braking and wet/cold weather handling performance; yet I am still achieving the original range given for the car, despite it being 7 years old and 0.9KWh down on battery capacity.
Rolling resistance is a tiny percentage of what affects range, and the differences between the best and worst tyres in a range is only a few percent.
Smaller wheels and tyres are probably helping more from their reduced WEIGHT.
After days of reading and watching tyre reviews, I went for Bridgestone Potenza T005; although I am a fan of Nokian, and have used them on my ICE cars in the past.
One final comment; manufacturers allow a range of tyre widths/depth ratios per wheel size, but some insurers will cancel policies if you decide to choose anything but the default fitted size - had this happen to me.
Yes, you can get much more range by adjusting the nut behind the wheel than by buying lower rolling resistance tires, but once you've done that improvements in equipment can be noticeable.
@@extragoode Years ago I got asked to drive a Jag owning Bank Manager around for the day; prior to starting, I asked what cruising speed he wanted on the motorway (pre speed cameras); he replied 80.
So off we set, him in the back going over paperwork, me driving, down from the Midlands on the M5/M40/M4, then around London, visiting various Bank Branches; so a good mix of motorway and congested driving.
At the end of the day, he noticed the trip computer showing 28MPG; "How did you manage that? The best I have ever seen before was 24".
He sounded a bit peeved; I said that I had always had a knack for getting good MPG out of any car.
He didnt reply to that, just paid me off - and never hired me again.
Smooth driving and anticipation gives far better real world results than the difference between the very best and very worst rolling resistance tyres; I would far rather be confident the car wouldnt aquaplane if I encountered a deep puddle mid-corner, than the extra 1 mile of theoretical range the low rolling resistance tyres offered.
A bit adjustment when switching to EV was the stopping distance
I was used to just pressing the clutch down and tapping the brakes, but I was almost caught out a couple of times in my first month of an EV because I wasn't using regen braking to help. I'm unsure if these little adjustment periods are talked about enough
in 40 years of driving in nebraska all i ever used were all season tires, that and a little common sense was all i ever needed. have yet to shop for EV tires. always knew that OEM tires were always aceptable tires that the manufacture got for a good price. thats why they always wore out in about 30,000 miles.
Helpful advice for EV'angelists. My experience has been to simply continue to use the brand of tire that my EVs came with from the factory. Yes, I could probably find even more efficient alternatives, but I think the effect on range is likely negligible.
Great, practical advice. I was definitely under the impression before buying an EV that they used special tires and rims. A little research made it clear that while there are specialized tires and rims for EVs, they are not required or even necessary.
I do like how incredibly light my FastWheels EV01 rims are tho and there are some neat noise dampening features in some of the EV-targeted tires
Good advice. Also quite a few manufacturers make Tesla recommended tires. From the manual: "Choose a Tesla-approved tire which is designed specifically for your vehicle. Most Tesla-approved tires can be identified with a Tx specification (for example, T0, T1, T2). Tesla-approved tires are designed to reduce road noise and optimize handling, ride, and range." That said, as you say there are other tires that will also work well and the T designated tires should also be a good choice for other EVs.
Tesla rated tires are by no means the only option - they're just the ones with a paid relationship with Tesla ;)
@@transportevolved Perhaps paid, but also tested by Tesla. The last sentence of my post addresses that there are other tires that work. I use winter tires that aren't T rated. Again, very good video. Thanks.
@@StormyDog I disagree with "tested by Tesla". Tesla publishes a spec, they don't test other mfgrs' goods.
@@alsavage1 Of course they test products they put on their cars, as do many other car companies. They even have tires specifically developed for their vehicles in some cases.
@@StormyDog If Tesla specs to use only tires with a Tx designation, they are not testing other mfgrs' tires: they're stating that if you use some tire, and it doesn't have that spec, Tesla lays not claim to liability.
Tesla doesn't test Brand X tires to see if they meet the Tx spec.
thanks again for good information well presented.
algorithm
You say you can jack your vehicle up and change your tire if you have one. I am a little concerned about that. I wonder if you jack up the say drivers side front corner that the battery will flex. Meaning slidely warps. That might cause the battery box seal to maybe get compromised?
I want to change my own winter tires but I am concerned about this. Does anybody have any thoughts on this?
All EVs have proper jacking points. They are listed in the owners’ manual. You should only use those points.
@@transportevolved I know where my jack points are but if I use one will my battery flex when jacking the car up.?
As long as you follow the recommended points listed in your EV owners' manual, and you follow all the recommended instructions, you'll be fine@@bossman6174. Automakers wouldn't be allowed to publish an owners' manual that gives unsafe instruction.... (at least, if they did, it would be recalled)
@@transportevolved well there is nothing in the manual about jacking the car up. It doesn't even have a jack in the trunk. They recommend going to the stealership to have the tires done. If you have a flat then there is this foam canister that I have to empty in the tire. For me it's an hours drive to the dealer's and an hour back. I can do it myself in 20 minutes.
It's a 2019 Hyundai Kona. Love the car but this has become a bit of an issue.
Farther because it has to do with distance.
BYD's come with notoriously bad tires
I would assume they come with Chinese tires bought on a very tight budget, so... Yeah, that checks out.
The information we need
Two items that nobody has been able to explain to me are these.
First, I had heard that winter tires have less rolling resistance in cold weather than all season tires. Assuming tire size and pressure are the same, I would expect a winter tire to be softer and slightly more difficult to roll. What, if anything makes a winter tire more efficient in cold weather? Second, it’s obvious that optional larger wheels that include wider tires would be less efficient. (Let’s assume no significant variation in overall diameter (revolutions per mile)) Size 235 should be more efficient than 245. But how about smaller wheel and taller tire vs taller wheel and shorter tire of the same width. I’m aware of the handling vs ride tradeoff but would efficiency take a hit? Oh and the third of my two questions would be if I wanted to get winter tires, going to a wider size would probably be less helpful in the snow. That makes me wonder when a narrower size would be advisable?
Hi!
We're not tire experts of course, but winter tires with low rolling resistance use multiple compounds that allow the tire to remain supple enough for good grip in cold weather, but also have additional features (both structural and compound related) that allow the tire to remain structurally stable - something that reduces friction within the tire away from the tread). We're sure that the tire companies will do a better job explaining that we can.
As for wheels? Smaller wheels and taller tires are always more efficient - or at least should be. We'd guess that taller tires and smaller wheels will be lighter than larger wheels and shorter tires even if their contact areas are similar. (We think that's what you were asking).
And winter? It's traditional to go down a wheel size and opt for taller tires in winter :)
@@transportevolved thanks for the response and always thanks for the excellent report. I didn’t mean to sound criticizing. Nikki is my favorite UA-camr with Kate a close second.
Here in Germany you cannot just use any tire for any car, even if it fits. Cars must use tires that have been certified specifically for that make and model of vehicle, and nothing else.
Hence why we said what we said ;) Type approval is real! ;)
That sounds completely insane. Shirley, it is enough that it is the correct dimension and has the correct speed and load rating. I refuse to believe for a second that if I introduce a new tire brand to the German market I have to find a 2002 BMW 525i and run a series of tests with that car, so the authorities can approve that people with 2002 BMW 525is can use my tire!
No, @@geirmyrvagnes8718 Type approval is a thing :)
@@geirmyrvagnes8718 well TÜV is an insane organization, not only do they dictate stuff for cars but also other stuff.
I recently work at a telecommunications company and TÜV audited the mobile phone transmitters and sent my company audit data in Excel files when they clearly knew nothing about Microsoft Excel.
Using unapproved tires in Germany? There’s a punchline but it might be offensive so I’ll bite my proverbial tongue. & don’t call me Shirley, at least not in public.
I find tire pressure does make a difference in the mileage on my i3.
The i3 is kind of a special case, with really unique tyres.
Got 60,000 miles out of Ecopia 422 plus tires on my e-Golf, and could have made them last to 70,000 miles but they were showing a bit of UV damage and Bridgestone had a sale.
Glad you found them awesome - We absolutely HATED the Ecopia tires on a Nissan LEAF :(
@@transportevolved sorry to hear. I find them quiet (when they don’t have tire plugs in them from screws) and comfortable and very efficient so I can squeeze out the most range from my car’s ~28.5 kWh usable battery pack.
@@transportevolved What didn't you like about them on your LEAF? I have them on my LEAF right now and the only problem I've had is that 3 of the 4 of them have had belts separate, but that was covered by the tire warranty at least.
Good info!
I got nothing from this PSA
Either that means you already knew it, in which case great… or you don’t care…. In which case, that’s on you, not us.