4 Reasons Why Electric Vehicles Need Different Tyres

Although, electric vehicles might look and feel like most day-to-day conventional vehicles, the technology behind them is not the same. Here we explain why the tyres of EV are different from that of traditional vehicles.

Our roads are still far from being dominated by electric cars. However, these battery-powered vehicles are steadily making progress. Compared to the advancement in its technologies like batteries and in-car tech, the tyres continue to remain the least addressed aspect of the electric vehicle. 

As things under the bonnet are not the same for conventional and EVs, so are the tyres. Manufacturers are paying special attention to the tyres of electric vehicles as some parameters are trickier to meet than others. And the reasons are unique. Let’s find out. 

Increased rolling resistance – Perhaps the best-understood variable when it comes to tyres is the rolling resistance. The extra weight of the battery puts additional pressure leading to increased friction between the tyre and the ground.

This makes the performance sluggish and leads to reduced fuel efficiency. As per a study conducted by Goodyear in 2018, tyres of electric car wear 30 per cent faster than a conventional car. 

So electric vehicles have tyres with strong sidewalls that help in lowering the rolling resistance. Many tyre manufacturers are now favouring narrow and tall shaped tyres instead of the ones with wide and low profiled sections. 

Additional weight – The battery is the core component of an EV but it puts an extra burden on the tyres as compared to the fuel combustion engine. Therefore, the weight of lithium-ion batteries along with the weight of the passengers and the luggage puts additional load on tyres. And the tyres manufactured for the regular vehicles will not be sufficient enough to bear the total weight. 

Hence, electric vehicles require special tyres to hold up the overall weight and return the best performance. 

Noise reduction – As you know an electric vehicle does not have an engine, so the moving vehicle is typically silent. Hence, if we put regular tyres in the EV, the tyre noise can easily creep into the cabin, due to the absence of an engine making the overall driving experience unpleasant. So, the tyre designed for regular vehicles will not return satisfactory performance in an electric one.

 Manufacturers have struggled so far in producing tyres that make minimum noise. And with EVs, the challenge becomes more significant. However, many manufacturers are coming with special tyres with foam inlay in the carcass that absorb noise on the go. Tread patterns too put an impact on the noise produced by the tyre.

Also Read: Michelin Launches New Tyre For Electric Sports Vehicles

Fast pickup and shorter braking distance – The torque supplied to the tyre in an electric vehicle is very high due to the lack of an engine. This along with added battery weight enhances the braking distance which means better vehicle control and quick stops during emergency braking. 

If regular tyres were fitted on the electric vehicle, it would have compromised the safety. So, electric vehicles need special tyres to efficiently manage torque, ensuring optimum safety.

In short, electric car tyres features a specific tread pattern and are impressively silent and lasts longer. This is the reason why manufacturers are honing their skills and coming out with new innovation and technology every day in a bid to create better tyres for EVs.

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