The new tires are meant to show Michelin’s “concern for Chinese consumers and the company’s development strategy,” Shanghai Daily reports. But… why would EVs need special tires to begin with? Well, it all boils down to weight. EVs generally weigh more than gasguzzlers, which means they wear tires down much faster. Also, worn tires will reduce the cars’ range, so there’s a lot to win by preventing that from happening. Michelin aims to tackle these exact issues with the e.PRIMACY and the Pilot Sport EV tires, designed for high-performance and sports electric cars. The e.PRIMACY is made for both fuel-powered and battery-powered vehicles, and thanks to its low rolling resistance it can increase an EV’s range by approximately 7% (30 km for a vehicle range of 400 km). The real game-changer though is the Pilot Sport EV tire, specifically addressing the needs of electric sports cars. According to Michelin, it features optimal grip on dry and wet roads, taking into account the higher weight and weight-distribution characteristics associated with EV sports cars. What’s more, it’s claimed to be wear-resistant in response to the high torque and acceleration forces, while it offers very low rolling resistance, increasing the range by up to 60 km. The Pilot Sport EV tires are also designed to have 20% less road noise, thanks to a custom-developed polyurethane foam that muffles sounds. That’s an important attribute given that the tires are the loudest part of electric vehicles which are otherwise doing a great job at reducing noise pollution. While the e.PRIMACy tires are focusing more on the European market, the Pilot Sport EV alternative will be available in both Europe and North America by the end of 2021. Do EVs excite your electrons? Do ebikes get your wheels spinning? Do self-driving cars get you all charged up? Then you need the weekly SHIFT newsletter in your life. Click here to sign up.
