Choosing Tires for an Electric Vehicle

Recently, it's hard not to notice the real boom in electric vehicles. It's not a fact that Tesla by Elon Musk was the reason for the start of the race of car manufacturers, but it can't be denied that cars of this brand attract the attention of both drivers and pedestrians. It's no secret that the design of electric vehicles is fundamentally different from cars with internal combustion engines. No oils, no pistons, no engine cooling system. Only electric motors.

The choice of tires is also extremely important. Ordinary tires simply cannot be put on electric vehicles. Today, we will figure out why.

The issue of ecology can be immediately discarded. Ecology plays no role in choosing tires. The fact is that the key differences between an electric vehicle and a car with an internal combustion engine are a serious challenge for tires, and manufacturers are forced to respond and apply new solutions.

1. Tires are now the noisiest part of the car.
Even in premium cars, the engine nobly roared. Now there is silence, and therefore the hum from the tires. After all, even in a regular car, up to 20% of the total noise comes from the tires. That's why electric vehicle tires are designed with an emphasis on noise reduction. The optimization of the tread pattern is not focused on high performance first and foremost, but on reducing noise. Technologies such as the insertion of special noise-absorbing material are used.

2. Maximum torque - rapid wear.
This is also one of the main problems that developers faced, as electric vehicles can create a higher level of torque and thus put more stress on the tires during acceleration. This requires a more durable and long-lasting tire design, which means that the priority when composing the rubber mixture is given to wear-resistant elastomers.

3. The range depends on the tires.
Electric vehicles are already actively appearing on the roads, and the infrastructure in the form of charging stations is clearly not keeping pace. That's why rolling resistance is also a priority not only for manufacturers but also for car owners.

So, we can draw a conclusion. Tires for electric vehicles are not a tribute to fashion, but a pressing need. If, of course, you don't want to face tires that reduce the battery resource by 20%, humming like an airplane, and wearing out in 8,000 kilometers. As a rule, the manufacturer clearly indicates that these tires are for electric vehicles. These can be separate models, such as the Michelin Pilot Sport EV and Continental Conti.eContact, or adaptations of existing models, such as Pirelli tires with the "ELECT" marking.