For electric car owners, a lot is about getting the longest possible range. There are several things that affect this, not least which tires you drive on. Several manufacturers are now developing tires with very low rolling resistance, which are marketed towards owners of electric cars. Compared to some other summer tyres, they should be able to provide up to 10 per cent lower power consumption and a corresponding increase in range.
But how good are the other characteristics of these tires – such as wet grip? Not very good, shows the new, large summer tire test for Dagbladet and Elbil24.
The Nordic region’s biggest tire test: two sixes!
Loses grip suddenly
In the test we have two different tires from Michelin – the most bought summer tire Primacy 4+ and the new electric tire e-Primacy. The latter is the tire in the test that rolls clearly the easiest. It has a consumption that is 4.3 per cent lower than the second best tire – Continental UltraContact – and 7.3 per cent lower than the one that rolls the heaviest.
CRITICAL WET GRIP: The scary thing about a summer tire is that the road grip can feel perfectly fine until you suddenly find yourself in a critical situation. This reveals the difference between the tires that have good and bad grip. Photo: Mirva Kakko Show more
However, when it comes to wet performance, the testers are not very enthusiastic:
– In critical maneuvers on wet roads, the test car with Michelin e-Primacy suddenly loses grip. The ability to resist aquaplaning is also among the worst of the tires we tested. The tire is also somewhat noisier than the other tyres. This proves that low rolling resistance and good properties on wet roads are difficult to combine, says test manager Jukka Antilla at UTAC Automotive Ivalo, who runs our large tire tests.
Can be deceived
The best tires
This is how it is: rolling resistance and wet grip are two contradictory properties. Low rolling resistance means poorer grip on wet roads. Good grip on wet roads means that the tire has higher rolling resistance.
In the test, the Nokian Hakka Blue is a clear example of the latter: The tire has by far the shortest braking distance in the test, but is also the tire that rolls the heaviest. The power consumption with this tire is 7.4 per cent higher than with Michelin’s electric car tyre.
ELECTRIC CAR TYRES: Several manufacturers now make their own tires specifically intended for electric cars. Other manufacturers do not. The reason is that the grip on wet roads becomes less secure. Photo: Mirva Kakko Show more
Our recommendation to electric car owners is therefore to find summer tires that roll fairly easily and still have fairly good grip on wet roads. Among the ten summer tires we have tested, the Goodyear EfficiencyGrip 2, Michelin Primacy 4+ and Pirelli Cinturato P7 tires give you a good combination of these important properties.
Tires we recommend for electric cars
Goodyear EfficiencyGrip 2
This is also the overall winner in the summer tire test with a six on the dice. “On wet surfaces, the tire behaves in an exemplary manner. In addition, the rolling resistance is quite low”, is the conclusion of the test.
Michelin Primacy 4+
This is the standard tire for Michelin. “A tire without any weak points and with good grip on wet roads. It also resists hydroplaning well. The rolling resistance is medium”, is the conclusion of the test.
Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2
“The tire has consistently good results in all test disciplines. Grip on wet roads is good. The hydroplaning properties and rolling resistance are medium,” concludes the test.
Source: Based on results from Dagbladet’s and Elbil24’s large summer tire test 2024
Sea view
– Wet grip most important
That it is not possible to make a tire where both very low rolling resistance and very good grip on wet roads is possible is also confirmed by tire manufacturers such as Continental. They have chosen not to make tires specifically intended for electric cars:
Check the numbers!
– Many of the fast and strong electric cars are also heavy. In that case, the best possible grip is important. The tire in our collection that rolls the easiest is the EcoContact 6, but it also gives somewhat poorer grip on wet roads. Many of today’s electric cars already have a range of 40-50 miles. Then it might make sense to give up some range in order to secure the very best grip, says product manager Knut Knudsen at Continental Norway.
In any case, the choice is yours: The best range or the best grip. We would choose the latter
2024-03-13 19:26:09
#tires #electric #cars
