Electric vehicles are slowly but surely gaining space in the marketplace and on the road but as they wear through their first sets of tires, many of their owners will face an interesting dilemma. Not only is the industry struggling to make enough EV-specific tires but owners will have to decide between a number of important design features.
A new report in Autonews Canada puts the spotlight on the situation. Most electric vehicles made today come with a very specific tire made by a specific brand. For example, Tesla vehicles often come with special Michelin tires that feature “Acoustic Tech”.
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That’s a fancy name for foam that’s glued to the inside carcass of the tire itself. While independent reports seem to indicate very marginal sound deadening capabilities of these tires, just about every Tesla owner I ever worked with during my time running a wheel and tire store wanted to go back with the exact same type that the car originally had.
Related: Fitting A Road Car With F1 Tires Isn’t As Good Of An Idea As You Might Think
Of course, a full set of those tires cost at least $1,000 or more. Buyers who own less expensive EVs like the Chevy Bolt, the Nissan Leaf, or the Hyundai Kona might not be as eager to drop four figures on four tires. And that’s where a part of the problem lies. Very few aftermarket EV-specific tires exist so buyers are somewhat stuck if they want such a product.
Of course, the idea of an EV-specific tire is an interesting one. Aside from trying to make the tire itself quieter, these EV-specific designs are meant to reduce rolling resistance which itself helps to increase or maintain a manufacturer’s claimed range. Of course, exceptional grip and low rolling resistance are somewhat opposed features.
EV owners who desire more grip from their vehicles than low-rolling-resistance tires can provide will have to sacrifice some range to improve grip. Don’t forget that mileage rating will play a role as well in a buyer’s decision on a new tire and that again, that mileage rating will affect both the grip and rolling resistance of the tire itself.
Thankfully, a slew of different tire manufacturers is now in the process of doing what they can to meet the demand as it grows. The same report mentions moves from Pirelli, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Michelin, and more to create tires that can be fitted to a number of different makes and models.
