More Range, More Tires: Electric Vehicle Tire Myths and Truths

The benefits of electric vehicles (EVs) are manifold. The emissions-free vehicles allow for travel that's untethered to a gas station, with more interior space in smaller packages, fewer brake pad changes and multi-component connectivity. In a world where EVs are commonplace, the air is cleaner. But, for what EVs save on emissions, there is some additional waste with them compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, namely from tires.

Many EVs wear low rolling resistance tires that are designed to allow the car to move over the road more easily in a more slippery fashion than the typical tire. Some manufacturers make tires explicitly for EVs that are designed to help cars achieve optimal electric battery range.

But, EVs don't treat their tires well, in fact, they treat them worse than ICE cars do. A number of factors play into this, with quick acceleration and higher weight chief among them.

"I would say 20-percent faster wear is a fair approximation. Of course, with the multitude of variables that affect tire wear, it's impossible to perfectly predict, but that's a safe number," T.J. Campbell, tire information and testing manager at Tire Rack told Newsweek.

"The reality is, electric vehicles produce instant torque – and usually a lot of it – that wears tires faster inherently due to the added force and can alter people's driving style as they grow accustomed to and enjoy the sensation, which also leads to faster wear. EVs are also heavier than an equivalent ICE vehicle, which accelerates tire wear too, all else remaining equal.

The base model Kia EV6 RWD wears Kuhmo all-season tires warrantied for 65,000 miles. Replacing all four of them costs about $1,000. Those all-season tires last longer than summer tires but still might require replacement after 52,000, using the 20 percent calculation. That's about five years for a driver that goes 10,000 miles per year. The Kia K5 sedan on the same tires could go 65,000 miles, more than six years before a second set.

Most all-season tires are rated for 50,000 to 60,000 miles per year, though some, like from Scandinavian tire maker Nokian, go as high as 80,000 miles. Others, mostly of the summer variety, can be warrantied for as little as 30,000 miles. Of course, there are other things that affect the longevity of the tire including the typical surface it's driven on, driving style, temperature and more.

Campbell's estimate means that an EV would only get about 40,000 miles out of what is typically a 50,000-mile tire. The usable lifespan of an 80,000-mile tire would be cut to about 64,000 miles.

"When we report on our EV tire testing, we do talk about hypothetical range at 100 percent charge because it's relatable to people, but our primary focus is on efficiency in watt hours per mile, not range," said Campbell.

"In our testing using the Tesla Model 3, the biggest disparity in efficiency we've seen between two tires was between the original equipment (OE) tire and a highly traction-focused all-season tire. The all-season tire was 11.5 percent less efficient than the OE tire. On our cars, that was about a 34-mile drop in hypothetical range."

Campbell used an ICE vehicle as an example to explain the problem with judging tires based on range. If a tire increases fuel economy by 1 mile per gallon, that's a 20-mile increase in range if you have a 20-gallon tank. On an EV, if the tire increases range by 37 miles on a 220-mile range Tesla Model 3, that's more substantive a difference than the same gain for a 520-mile Lucid Air sedan.

Tire maker Michelin is adding transmitter chips to its tires to monitor their health. They're also adjusting to create new rubber formulas and change production. The company says it's aiming to increase range without sacrificing longevity.

"And that's a game changing situation for us because again, that will leverage all the know how we have been building over the last decades. And let's be frank, it places the tire today as the most important range-extending feature of an electric vehicle and that feature is not well known and shared to the consumers," Alexis Garcin, Michelin North America, President and CEO told Newsweek.

Most people don't know what tires to buy, according to Michelin, who currently provides 80 percent of EV tires.

"It's our job to educate consumers that in the end all tires aren't the same. And that yes, tires can impact the range of the car. Different tires can wear at different speeds and will have different grip, or wet performance overall," Garcin said.

Driving an EV is a quiet experience. There's no engine noise to permeate the cabin. EV travel noise comes from aerodynamics (air passing over the vehicle) and tire noise.

"Twenty percent less noise is significant when talking about any difference in tire performance. If we're comparing an extreme performance summer tire to a Michelin Pilot Sport EV, it could be realistic. But like-to-like, it's tough to buy something that much quieter than anything else from the same competitive set," said Campbell.

Both Tire Rack and Michelin have a stake in selling and producing the right tires at the right time for buyers. Those buyers are better off knowing that their tires might wear a little faster, extend or decrease their range and make a certain amount of noise. In the end, the stock tire that came with the vehicle is probably the safest answer.

"In general, every Hyundai original equipment manufacturer (OEM) tire application is optimized for the specific vehicle it is being developed for," Chahe Apelian, director of vehicle tests and development for Hyundai told Newsweek.

"For Ioniq 5, there was a special development with Michelin for the first eGMP platform vehicle optimized for rolling resistance, wear, and grip (dry, wet, snow). For Ioniq 6, there was a special development with Hankook for the 18-inch tire to achieve the class leading all-electric range in the rear drive configuration."