Do you need specific EV tires for your electric vehicle?

Electric cars have heavy batteries, so they need tires which can carry the extra weight. While the battery stores the energy, it’s the electric motor that provides the instant torque (and no sound inside the car!). With an electric vehicle, as soon as you press the accelerator, you immediately deploy 100% of the vehicle’s power. This means weight transfers are sharper, and a lot more intense than with a combustion-powered vehicle. This also affects the impact on wear and tear of the tires.

No worries there: MICHELIN tires take this into account, mostly in the structure of the tires and its materials.

The second characteristic is noise. An electric car is silent, right? Without the noise of a combustion engine, the sound of the tires on the road surface is much more noticeable in an electric car. So, manufacturers have to create tires that are far quieter. Thus, perceived interior noise is reduced. For example: in an orchestra, when you have a drum and a flute playing at the same time you mostly hear the drum. But when the drum stops, the sound of the flute appears more clearly. The same happens when switching to an electric vehicle: the thermal engine which generates most of the noise is replaced by an almost-silent electric motor, and the noise of the tires is more apparent.

For this reason, our innovative MICHELIN Acoustic technology found in some of our tires, reduces the perceived noise level inside the car by up to 20%.⁽¹⁾  This makes your driving experience much more enjoyable, especially on the motorway.

The third characteristic specific to electric cars is the battery and its range, which needs to be taken into account, especially on long trips. Through rolling resistance, tires contribute to electric consumption. As we'll see below, our tires perform very well in this area.

The major difference between electric cars and internal combustion engine cars, is the dynamic load transfers and increased torque linked to this specific kind of engine. This is a challenge for manufacturers because the mass and the torque increase require tires with more lateral rigidity (cornering stiffness), to maintain the handling sensation at an important level, a strong grip for maximum acceleration, and plenty of longevity to minimise wear mile after mile.

Battery weight is an important issue for electric sports cars. If you have a powerful electric motor, you need to have a powerful battery, and this results in weight. 400kg is the average weight for a battery in an electric sports car.

Today car makers propose two kinds of electric vehicles:

• Regular vehicles retrofitted to become electric

• Brand new platform

  
  

In the case of regular vehicle retrofitted, usually tire sizes daoes not change much compared to ICE (Internal Combustion Engine). Thus, tires on retrofitted electric vehicles may wear faster than they did when they had an engine.

For brand new platform electric vehicles, mass and torque are considered from the beginning, tire size is adjusted and is usually taller and sometimes narrow than the equivalent ICE tires. Thus, the tire wear on this EV will be similar to its equivalent ICE.

While all MICHELIN tires are suitable for EV, some respond to specific driving demands.

A driver of a sports car wants fast acceleration, great torque transmission and high precision at the steering wheel. If you are such a driver, then MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV, specifically designed for these needs, is a great choice for you.

A driver of a sedan is more likely to prioritise safety and driving comfort. If you can relate to this profile, then you can opt for the MICHELIN e.Primacy which has been designed for drivers like you.

Ultimately, we’re sure you’ll find the right tire that fits your car and driving style with the help of your dealer and MICHELIN tire selector.