5 Things Nobody Tells You About Buying EV Tires!

ok guys so let's face it buying tires is never easy it's not cheap it's not fun but hopefully this video today will help step us through it with a little more confidence so sit back here we go hello and welcome back to Jim's EV adventures today we're tackling one of the strangest myths floating around the world of electric vehicles the idea that EVs need special tires and you cannot use tires made for regular or internal combustion engine cars on an EV let's get one thing straight the laws of physics don't change just because your car runs on electricity EVs roll the same way on the same roads using the same principles of friction traction and rolling resistance as any other vehicle so where did this myth come from and is there any truth to the idea that EVs need unique tires let's break it down in plain terms I have watched over 16 hours of YouTube videos about EV tires some of them came to the same conclusion that I did but most of them more than ninety percent of them were proponents of the EV only tire including some people who promote EVs on their own channels I have read many many hours worth of physics related materials on the internet and in the encyclopedias that I have on the shelf behind me and I can tell you right now the laws of physics have not changed in the materials used to make an EV tire are no different than the materials used to make a tire for an internal combustion engine vehicle let's talk about the physics of tires and what really really matters tires exist to do three main things support the vehicle's weight provide traction and minimize rolling resistance whether you're driving a gasoline car a hybrid or an EV these principles remain exactly the same we're going to examine three key physics concepts one friction the force that allows your tire to grip the road is called friction too little friction and you're sliding too much and you're wasting energy and then you have rolling resistance the force resisting the motion of your tires as they roll along the road lower rolling resistance equals better efficiency whether you're driving an EV or an internal combustion engine and finally there's the load bearing aspect of a tire tires need to support the weight of your vehicle EVs do tend to be heavier due to their batteries but normally only about 10 to 20 percent heavier not twice the weight of an internal combustion engine car as some claim but this still doesn't require special tires it simply means you need to choose the tire with the right load rating for your vehicle whether that be an EV or not the bottom line is this if you have a heavier vehicle EV or not you need tires designed to handle that weight but that's no different from a heavier truck or an SUV needing sturdier tires now is it and now we get to the crux of the matter the marketing spin do EVs really need special tires the term EV specific tires is more about marketing than it is physics tire manufacturers know EV owners are conscious of energy range and noise so they market certain tire models as EV optimized to appeal to that audience but the truth of the matter is the only thing they can do is minimize the noise by changing tread patterns and make tires harder to reduce rolling resistance poor tire treads and harder material can actually reduce the safety capabilities of a tire but here's what they usually mean when they say designed for EVs number one is lower rolling resistance this helps improve efficiency and range but guess what many fuel-efficient tires designed for the internal combustion engine cars do the exact same thing the second thing is noise reduction EVs are quieter so tire noise is more noticeable but low noise tires exist for internal combustion engine cars to think luxury limousines from BMW Mercedes-Benz and Rolls-Royce those all need quiet tires for a quiet ride and let's talk about the higher load capacity EVs are heavier due to their batteries but normally only 10 to 20 percent heavier than internal combustion engine cars in the same class so tires must have the appropriate load rating but this is nothing new trucks and SUVs have used high load tires for decades and nobody seems to have a problem with that and keep in mind the Ford F-150 hybrid pickup weighs upwards of 5,500 pounds and the gas-powered version is even heavier at up to 5,800 pounds but the venerable Tesla Model X only weighs 5,100 pounds in short there's nothing magical about so-called EV tires they follow the same laws of physics as any other tire and the laws of physics don't change just because you add a lithium-ion battery and remove a Now let's take a look at some real-world examples the proof is in the tread think about a standard set of low rolling resistance tires used on hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius those same tires work perfectly fine on an EV because they're designed to reduce energy loss likewise a performance tire that works well on a sports car will provide the same grip and handling on a high-performance EV like the Tesla Model S Plaid the only difference you might need a tire with a slightly heavier load rating say XL versus SL to account for the 10 to 20 percent added weight from the battery pack just like you would for a heavier internal combustion engine vehicle let's look at a couple of examples a family SUV like a Ford Explorer uses tires rated for its weight if you replace that SUV with an EV like the Rivian R1s you'll need similarly rated tires not special EV tires just tires that can handle the weight keep in mind you also want the lowest rolling resistance you can find that still provides the grip you need to help with handling in wet or snowy conditions a few weeks back we did a special on comparing the Ioniq 5 to 5 gas-powered cars the Subaru Forester was one of them it comes with a 235 50 R19 those tires are rated SL and they have a special speed rating of V which is 149 miles per hour the Ioniq 5 on the other hand comes with 235 55 R19s and those tires are XL rated with a speed rating of H 130 miles an hour the grip on the tires on the Ioniq is actually higher but the aspect ratio is narrower they are not EV only tires either they are standard Michelin tires made for any vehicle that needs an XL rated tire now let's look at a few things that we just need to debunk period one of those things is EVs need special rubber compounds nope rubber compounds are optimized for performance longevity and efficiency whether that car is electric or gas-powered the formula is the same based on the performance characteristics of the tire that are being sought after EV tires have unique tread patterns well again not really tread patterns are designed for traction water displacement and noise reduction factors that matter for all vehicles some tire makers claim they can get the noise reduction down by 10 DB but in reality when it's actually measured it's only 2 to 3 DB less that's real-world testing and that's been proven even on channels that promote EV only tires which is kind of strange in my opinion and another myth that just needs to be destroyed today is regular tires wear out faster on EVs the truth is that's not true if you choose tires with the correct load rating and you drive responsibly any car electric or otherwise will wear out tires faster if it is driven aggressively and that's where the rubber meets the road EV drivers do tend to push the pedal to the metal a bit more often when driving in traffic because they can but the tires do not wear out faster just because the car is electric they wear out faster because of how it's being driven and if you don't believe me ask someone driving one of the fast and furious wannabes the next time you find them at their local tire store getting tires installed I'll guarantee you they've worn their tires out because of how aggressively they've been driving their internal combustion bumblebee cars so tires are tires choose wisely but not specially so what's the takeaway the laws of physics apply to all cars EVs included EV tires need to support your vehicle's weight they need to provide the necessary traction have the stiffness for cornering and minimize rolling resistance to help with your overall range that's it that's it plain and simple while tires companies might slap an EV label on certain models the reality is that any quality tire designed for your vehicle's weight and driving needs will work just fine just like the tires on the Ioniq 5 do they're not EV only tires and neither are the tires that I put on my Bolt about 14,000 miles ago so don't get caught up in the marketing hype just pick the right tire for your vehicle size weight and driving style whether that car is powered by gasoline electricity or even good old fashioned horsepower if you found these facts helpful hit the like subscribe and drop a comment have you tried any EV tires or do you stick with the standard options share your experience in the comments below let's help each other out here and until next time I'll see you out there somewhere or along the route from point A to point B take it easy everybody see you all real soon