Can you fit any tyre to an electric car?
As EV’s grow in popularity there are so many questions surrounding the best tyres for electric vehicles.
Although a number of tyre manufacturers make specialist electric vehicle tyres, as an EV owner you may wonder if you can fit any make of tyre to your electric vehicle. To find out how much of a difference tyre quality makes to electric vehicles we decided to test some well-known Premium & Budget tyres on a brand new Polestar 2. Both tyres were tested for a full month to find out what the impact was on the EV range, noise levels and handling.
Our EV tyre test
Our electric vehicle
We used a 2022 Polestar 2 which is a fully electric executive saloon. It has 228bhp and a maximum range of 297 miles when fully charged.
Our budget tyres
Test 1: Our first test was carried out with a set of 245/45R19 Accelera PHI 102Y budget tyres. Fuel economy C, Wet Grip C, Noise 70.
Our premium tyres
Test 2: Our second test was on 245/45R19 102Y Continental PremiumContact 6 tyres with ContiSilent technology. Fuel economy B, Wet Grip A, Noise 72DB.
What we tested on the EV
Electric vehicle range
To test the vehicle range we measured KWH per hundred miles. A kilo watt hour is a measure of how much energy is used per hour – the lower the KWH reading the less energy is being used to power the EV. A lower KW reading means a better range performance.
EV cabin noise
We tested noise using a decibel meter in the car during filming.
Vehicle handling and tyre grip
Tested during the month-long tyre testing. This was a subjective test where our driver tested each tyre in different conditions on UK roads.
Electric vehicle comfort
Tested during the month-long tyre testing. This was a subjective test where our driver tested each tyre in different conditions reporting back on driving comfort and the feel of the vehicle.
Do electric vehicles need special tyres?
As with any other vehicle, the key factors you need to consider are the tyre size, load rating and speed rating. As long as you stick to those factors you can legally fit any tyre to your electric vehicle. Having said this, the tyre you choose may impact some of the unique qualities you chose your EV for. Vehicle range, handling, braking distance and cabin noise are all affected by the tyre you choose.
What's a good tyre for an electric vehicle?
When choosing tyres for an electric vehicle there are several factors you’ll have to consider.
- Electric vehicles are heavier than traditional vehicles and need a tyre with a stronger sidewall to cope with the extra weight. Some electric vehicles need “HL” tyres (heavy load) which are around three load indexes higher than a standard Extra Load (XL) tyre.
- EV’s have more torque – quicker acceleration puts more stress on the tyres. EV ready tyres are designed to be able to cope with a powerful EV.
- Electric vehicle tyres should be as quiet as possible. As there is no engine noise you’ll want any road noise to be as low as possible. Some specialist EV tread patterns have less lateral grooves to lessen noise. As EV’s are heavier, the weight helps disperse surface water so less grooves are needed. They also often have inner acoustic foam which is a simple yet effective way of lessening road noise.
- As EV’s are powered by an electric battery it’s important to choose an energy efficient tyre as this will impact the vehicle range. Low rolling resistance tyres will help you get maximum range so you can spend less time charging your EV.
How tyres affect electric vehicle range
- Choosing tyres with a low rolling resistance will maximise your electric vehicle range. Look at the energy rating on the EU tyre label to get an indication of how energy efficient a tyre is.
- Incorrect tyre pressures impact rolling resistance (fuel economy or ev range), handling, steering & wear. This is true on any vehicle but exaggerated on an EV thanks to the increased torque.
- Wheel Balancing – if incorrect this will affect all the factors we’re measuring. We made sure each tyre was precision balanced before we start the test period.
- Wheel Alignment – it’s always a good idea to check wheel alignment settings when you fit a new set of tyres. To make sure we gave both the budget and branded tyres the best chance of performing fully we carried out a Hunter Wheel Alignment after fitting each set of tyres.
How to increase electric vehicle range
- Slow Down & drive smoothly. Driving smoothly and avoiding too much acceleration will help increase EV range. If you’re heavy with the right foot you’ll drain the battery more quickly.
- Utilise your EV’s regenerative braking – only use your brakes when necessary to avoid loss of energy.
- Keep the car cool by opening windows but go easy on the air-con as it’s powered by the EV battery. Using your cars air-recirculation button when you use the air-con will use less energy to get the cabin cold – so make sure it’s on!
- Cold weather isn’t good for EV range (it’s said to reduce range by up to 40%) but be aware that when temperatures drop heated seats/blowers/demist will all drain the EV battery.
- Using your car radio/Bluetooth will use EV battery.
- Declutter – the less weight you’re carrying the better
- Don’t use in-car chargers. Charge before you leave home or use a pre-charged powerbank in emergencies.
- Make sure your tyre pressures are set correctly & adjusted for different loads (ie. More passengers/luggage)
- Avoid things like roof racks which increase drag and reduce efficiency.
Does the weather affect electric vehicle range?
Cold temperatures reduce EV range – some reports say by as much as 40% which is huge! There’s obviously not a lot you can do about this, but be aware you’ll need to charge more often during the colder months. Using heated seats & heated blowers within the cabin will drain your battery further – something to be aware of when it’s freezing outside.
How much does AC affect EV range?
Using your air-con will drain your EV battery more quickly. In fact, air-con is said to reduce range by around 17%. During our tests we found that the KWH energy used dropped from around 33 KWH to 29-30 when the air-con was switched off.
Test 1: Budget tyres on an electric vehicle
EV range
Averaged 32.8 KWH with the air-con on. Notably higher kilowatt per hours used with the budget tyres.
EV Cabin noise
69-71 decibels
Vehicle handling
Massively affected when we had the budget tyres fitted – especially in the wet. Lower levels of grip, especially in wet conditions. Tyre struggled to cope with the torque and acceleration. Vibration felt through the steering wheel.
Driver comfort
Not as smooth a drive. Felt bumps in the road much more through your seat – as you would expect from a harder tyre compound.
Test 2: Premium tyres on an electric vehicle
EV range
Averaged 23.9 KWH with the air-con in use which was lower than when the budget tyres were fitted.
EV Cabin noise
65.7 – 67.5 decibels
Vehicle handling
Handling – substantially better handling capabilities, especially in the wet.
Driver comfort
Comfort – much more comfortable and quieter in the cabin.
Electric vehicle tyre test conclusion
Although you can fit budget tyres to an electric vehicle you will lose out on some of the characteristics of the EV. You will experience an increase in cabin noise and the harder compound will result in the driver feeling potholes and speed bumps more. Handling is impacted especially in the wet where the budget tyres failed to provide enough grip to cope with the increased acceleration and torque of the heavy EV. Although the budget tyres did impact vehicle range this wasn’t to a large extent and not a determining factor in choice of tyres for an electric vehicle.
Fitting premium tyres with acoustic technology did appear to impact cabin noise, leading to a quieter ride. The premium tyre also delivered better driver comfort and much safer, more reliable wet grip. In conclusion, a premium tyre with more advanced technology did support the features of the electric vehicle resulting in a safer and more enjoyable driving experience.