The advance of electric vehicles is a wave of the future, with new advancements in the electronic vehicle (EV) coming onto the market and becoming more accessible for the average consumer every year. Infrastructure to service electric vehicles is more accessible and convenient than ever, and the services and technologies to support EVs will only grow. 

Our society is in the middle of an electric vehicle revolution. 

With lower vehicle operating costs and reduced environmental impact, climate-aware drivers are making EVs a popular choice. Even if emissions aren’t the priority, EVs offer customers freedom from the constant maintenance and troubles of conventional gas-powered cars. EVs don’t need oil and filter changes, spark plugs, diesel particulate traps, diesel exhaust after-treatment fluid, or countless other parts specific to diesel engines.  

What are electric vehicle tires?

If you’re transitioning from a traditional gas-powered car to an electric vehicle, you may wonder how your electric vehicle’s maintenance is different. A common question is whether electric vehicle tires are different.

Using tires meant for traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles will result in additional wear and tear with use and cost you more in replacements while impacting your vehicle’s performance. But why are traditional tires just not up to the task of supporting electric vehicles? What’s so different about electric vehicle tires?

Electric vehicle tires are performance tires designed to fit the unique needs of an electric vehicle, with benefits to tire durability, tire performance, and sustainability issues. Tires for electric vehicles are specially designed to adapt to the differences between internal combustion engine vehicles (traditional cars) and electric vehicles. EV tires are also made with sustainable tire manufacturing methods that are more energy efficient to further reduce the carbon footprint of your vehicle. 

How do they differ from regular tires?

Electric vehicle tires support the unique traction requirements, weight, and dynamic loading of an electric vehicle. 

Range and traction

Electric vehicle tires are explicitly constructed for lower rolling resistance, which means they create less friction when the car is in movement, leading to less energy loss and letting the vehicle travel further on less power. Less friction means increased range, allowing for longer journeys between charges.

Electric vehicle tires offer EV owners the greatest freedom of movement with more distance from charging ports and decreased charging costs. Aside from rolling resistance, many factors can impact the range and efficiency of the tires, such as tread design, the size of the wheel, and the air pressure. Most electric vehicle tires are more aerodynamic than ICE tires, allowing for more range.

Electric vehicles also accelerate faster than most ICE cars, and that force creates more stress on the car’s tires when starting from a stop or accelerating to higher speeds. 

Electric vehicle tires are constructed to give better traction while accelerating, creating more efficient energy use that would be wasted with a traditional tire. Most high-traction tires, however, tend to sacrifice durability in exchange for that grip on the road.

The rubber itself, or the rubber compound, is perhaps the most critical part of the tires. The rubber compound can significantly impact the range and efficiency of the tires. Depending on the compound, the tire could wear better over time, operate better on wet surfaces, or create lower rolling resistance. For instance, Sailun’s new EcoPoint3 compound uses proprietary technology to increase the potential for lower rolling resistance in their electric vehicle tires, the Erange EV line.

Weight

Electric vehicles are powered by batteries rather than a traditional diesel-fueled engine which means fewer emissions and lower gas costs. But the fact is that batteries are heavier. Electric vehicles are generally 10 percent to 20 percent heavier than their ICE equivalents, primarily due to the weight of the vehicle’s batteries. Most tires just aren’t built to hold up to that weight. 

The weight of electric vehicles might improve as the technology does, but, for now, driving them on traditional tires puts them under a weight they weren’t designed to hold. This results in greater wear on the tires, meaning they’ll lose tread, control, and efficiency faster, requiring replacement sooner. 

Tire durability

With an electric vehicle’s increased weight and power, there’s a lot of pressure on the wheels to perform optimally. Tire wear will be more noticeable in an EV because the tire is so essential to the range of the vehicle. Tire resistance accounts for a considerable amount of energy used, so worn-down, inefficient tires can quickly add to operating costs and waste energy.

Even many EV tires will have a shorter lifespan when supporting the power and weight of an electric vehicle. When looking for tires for an electric car, look at the materials for longer-lasting, more durable rubber composites.

For example, Sailun’s Orange EV tires are made out of the company’s proprietary rubber compound, EcoPoint3. EcoPoint3 uses a revolutionary rubber mixing technology to not only improve the tire’s rolling resistance but also generate excellent grip on acceleration, meaning you need less power to get where you’re going. Orange EV tires are designed with advanced tread patterns and stronger compounds to withstand the greater stress of fast acceleration and weight without sacrificing tread life.

Noise

Unlike cars powered by internal combustion engines, electric vehicles are powered by electric motors. Without a traditional engine, electric vehicles are drastically quieter than their traditional counterparts.

With its near-silent operation, most of the noise from an electric vehicle comes from its tires, which is all the more noticeable without an engine to hide it.

Many electric vehicle tires will be designed with this in mind to minimize tire noise for the most comfortable, quiet drive possible. Sailun’s Orange EV, for example, is designed with special treads to operate more quietly.

Can you use regular tires for electric vehicles?

Tires intended for traditional ICE vehicles will fit electric vehicle wheels, so, yes, you can use traditional tires with your EV. However, if you want to keep costs low and your vehicle working as it should, EV-specialized tires are essential.

Since electric vehicles have greater acceleration and higher power from the moment your foot touches the pedal, EV tires are designed to offer greater traction and control. With lower rolling resistance, electric vehicle tires are the choice to ensure the most efficient and safe operation of your electric vehicle. Check out Sailun’s ERANGE EV tires for best performance with your electric vehicle.