EV Tyres Need Replacing Twice As Often As ICE Cars
I remember when the first Teslas came out, early adopters I knew hoped EV tires would last much longer than on regular cars
They told me Teslas had a cutting edge slip limiting system that applied as much power as possible without spinning the tires.
This sounded like good news all around: not only are tires expensive, but producing and disposing of them is not great for the environment.
Unfortunately, the truth is just the opposite. EV drivers are reporting they are replacing their tires at twice the rate of traditional gasoline vehicles.
Here are the details: Every year, J.D. Power interviews owners of three-year-old cars about problems, glitches, and repairs thus far. This year’s findings:
BEV owners had to replace their tires during the third year of ownership at nearly twice the rate of gas-powered vehicles—39 percent to 20 percent.
That may be attributable to EVs being heavier than their gas-powered counterparts – J.D. Power’s 2024 Dependability study
I know what you are asking: Are all those combustion car owners replacing their tires on year four? Nope. According to Nerd Wallet, the average set of new tires is lasting six years.
It is true that the weight of lithium ion batteries make EVs 30 percent heavier than comparable gas-powered vehicles, on average. But the weight difference grows with the size of the vehicle: the less efficient an EV the bigger its battery pack must be for competitive range.
So the Hummer EV weighs 9,000 pounds, with a 2,800-pound battery pack. But the lightest Tesla Model 3 comes in at 3,800 pounds. That’s less than some BMW 4 Series sedans.
I would wager that vehicle weight is only half of the issue. Two other unique features of EVs almost certainly contribute. The first is that electric motors make maximum torque at zero rpm.
So even with cutting-edge traction control systems, starting from a standstill beats up tires. The second is regenerative braking. As EVs slow down, they turn those motors into generators and use the powertrain to slow the vehicle.
This converts the car’s forward momentum back into battery charge. But this, again, subjects the tires to a bunch of torque and beats them up.
Here’s to hoping future generations of EVs will address these issues. Perhaps EV-specific tires will become better at handling this torque–both while starting out and while braking.
And I’m sure EV engineers will develop better systems for balancing performance, efficiency, and tire wear. Perhaps the regen level could back off to save the tires when you are on your way to your home charger with plenty of juice left.
Finally, automakers are pursuing battery chemistries with more energy density than lithium ion. When (more likely IF – Ed) they come up with one, it will lighten EVs dramatically.
I’m going to yet again urge automakers to build lighter EVs–station wagon sized vehicles–that compensate for small battery packs with good kW/mile ratings and fast (800 volt) charging. I truly believe this is the best option for most drivers, with the technology currently available.
If you choose to buy one of the current EVs, budget to replace the tires early. If you really want to make them last, experiment with turning down regenerative braking and accelerating slowly (Like people are going to do that! – Ed).
See more here msn.com
Header image: Evans Tyre
Editor’s note: heavier vehicles also mean increased road surface wear, adding to an already serious problem which, as far as I can see, is not being addressed. Perhaps deliberately.
Please Donate Below To Support Our Ongoing Work To Defend The Scientific Method
PRINCIPIA SCIENTIFIC INTERNATIONAL, legally registered in the UK as a company 
incorporated for charitable purposes. Head Office: 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AX.
Trackback from your site.
Howdy
| #
“station wagon sized vehicles–that compensate for small battery packs with good kW/mile ratings and fast (800 volt) charging.”
While that sounds pretty sensible, in the EV sector it’s a niche market.
Why would 800 volt charging matter? The cell capacity dictates the charging time. In any case, fast charging leads to shorter batter cycle life.
“electric motors make maximum torque at zero rpm”
Doesn’t matter, an old beemer 318 can spin the wheels burning off months of wear in seconds. Traction control will hold the tyres at around the limit of adhesion for the circumstances, so while they heat up a lot on the EV, they don’t literally burn rubber.
The weight, and the performance add up to provide the most arduous life for a consumer tyre. Whether violent acceleration, or hard cornering, the tyre is highly stressed. EV provides both, and often at the same time. There is only enough grip to go around, so depending on what the vehicle is doing, either cornering, or power delivery is compromised. The same as any car, but here it’s a stacked deck due to the compromises.
Regarding regenerative braking, even ICE use engine retardation techniques, as do semi tractor units.
Reply
D. Boss
| #
Ach, nonsense, gibberish! The analysis is flawed at it’s core. First off many conventional ICE vehicles weigh as much as or more than EV’s. And you can skid or burn rubber on all of those too. Regenerative braking is less of a tire detriment than idiots who wait until the last second to brake in an ICE vehicle, which chews up tires. Driving fast, taking corners at breakneck speed and stopping way to late – eats tires in any vehicle, irrespective of the method of primary power used.
But the most damning part of this nonsense study is to gauge tire replacement by year instead of miles traveled. Tires have a fixed primary lifetime, measured in miles. They also have secondary life spans based on time since they were manufactured. In other words you can have a mere 2,000 miles on a set of tires that were made in 2008, but they need to be replaced due to dry rot and cracking because of age, even though the tread is almost as deep as when new.
Their lifetime is also determined by the cost and application: Cheap tires don’t last long under any conditions, and high end tires designed for maximum grip are softer, so don’t last long. Just watch a Formula 1 race where there are 3 different tire compounds available, soft, medium and hard. The hard tires last far longer, but offer less grip. The soft tires go really fast for a few laps, then need replacing. EV’s all require high grip because they can go like a bat out of hell. Ergo the have softer compounds.
Same applies for brakes – high end cars that go fast, like certain BMW and Mercedes or Porsche, need brakes replaced at have the time of more mundane cars, because those high end performers, use softer brake rotors, and pads to obtain higher braking forces, but the penalty is the wear out faster.
Finally, climate governs how long they last – the enemy of rubber is heat, and in hotter climates, irrespective of all of the above, a tire will not last as long as in a cooler climate. I’ve lived in a northern climate (say Michigan) and now reside in Florida. Same tires, same vehicle, and in Florida they only last for 30k miles, where in Michigan would last for 50k miles.
All in all, this study is crap and does not address or understand the essential physics of the subject.
Reply
John Galt
| #
I agree with D.Boss, let me preface my comment with, I detest EV’s or more I don’t give a darn who buys them but I don’t want to pay for them. They are a throw away car. I have an Audi SQ5 VERY soft tires, it’s a sporty car, tires are maybe 18,000 miles IF I’m a very moderate driver and for the most part I am. A D@mn Teslas weighs the same as my Audi.
Reply
Andy Rowlands
| #
I have to disagree with you. I recently had new tryes on my car, and while they were being changed I chatted with the boss of the company. He told me they are seeing EV’s in for tyre changes twice as often as on ICE cars, mainly he told me, because they are significantly heavier than ICE cars.
Reply
Howdy
| #
The weight issue is a common theme every where one looks.
The soft tyre to handle the power delivery is a non-starter for me because while the Tesla has decent power, it isn’t sold as a track, or drag car, and longevity still figures for more than a few quarter mile sprints.
The model Y owners manual tyre advice:
https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/model3/en_gb/GUID-94F63B13-EA2C-45D9-83AB-5DCA6295D587.html
Including not too load the tyres heavily, and other such common sense advice.
PDF download of the complete manual available on the page.
Reply