Fast tire wear concerning to EV drivers

It was love at first sight when Neil Semel saw the electric Mercedes EQS 450+ at a Pompano Beach, Fla., dealership. The sedan was the perfect sleek black color his wife wanted, had only 2,200 miles and they both liked the idea of getting away from gasoline.

“I’ve always driven combustion engines and I thought it was time to try to save the planet,” Semel said.

But after less than 5,000 miles of driving around his Boca Raton, Fla., neighborhood, Semel was shocked to find that some essential — and very expensive — parts were already wearing out: The tires.

“If somebody looked at me and said, Mr. Semel, you are going to love this car but in about 7,000 miles you will have to pay $1,400 or $1,500 to replace the tires, I wouldn’t have bought the car,” Semel said.

For many drivers of electric vehicles in Florida — the nation’s second-largest market for electrics — premature tire wear has become an unexpected black mark on vehicles promoted as green climate-friendly options to gas-powered cars.

At EV Garage Miami, a Sweetwater, Fla., repair shop that services 90% electric vehicles, lead technician Jonathan Sanchez said tires are the most frequent thing customers come in about — no matter what model or make of electric vehicle they’re driving. Tire mileage can vary widely of course, but he said he frequently changes tires at just 8,000 to 10,000 miles — a fourth or even fifth of typical tire wear on a gas-burning car.

There are a number of explanations for the fast wear — from the way the vehicles work to the composition of the rubber to individual driving habits and maintenance practices — but vehicle and tire makers and industry experts acknowledge the issue. Tire manufacturer Michelin said conventional tires on electric vehicles are consumed 20% faster than on gas-powered cars — a figure commonly cited by EV makers as well — but Goodyear also has said they could wear up to 50% faster. Automakers and the tire industry are working on improvements.

That would be good for consumers but also for the climate. To some extent, running through tires quickly may offset the reduction of damaging emissions that the vehicles offer. Some studies have shown that tires actually have more particle pollution than exhaust, 2,000 times as much.

“Tires are rapidly eclipsing the tailpipe as a major source of emissions from vehicles,” said Nick Molden, who conducted a study with Emissions Analytics. Why the fast wear?

Tire manufacturers and car technicians like Sanchez point to a few reasons for the fast wear. Topping the list: Most electric vehicles, thanks to the large battery system, weigh hundreds of pounds or more than equivalent gas vehicles. That puts stress on tires, said Sanchez, who worked six years at Tesla as a master technician before coming to EV Garage Miami.

The rubber also literally meets the road faster on an electric vehicle. Electrical motors can produce peak power, or torque, almost instantly.

Some electric-vehicle-specific tires are made differently as well — to enhance mileage range from battery power and to offset one standout feature of electric vehicles. Without mechanical engines, they’re super quiet, which actually can make for an unpleasant driving experience because tires can whine or hum while rolling on pavement.

Don Wright, the vice president of engineering at Unico, an electric vehicle testing company, said sounds intruding from outside the car cabin are a big complaint for drivers. In gas cars, engine noise helps muffle the sound of tires.

“They didn’t hear it in their Ferrari,” he joked.

To address that lack of noise, some premium tires suggested for electric vehicles use softer rubber and have foam injected inside that dampens the sound, akin to trading out hard dress shoes for tennis shoes. Those soft textured tires, while quieter, also wear down faster.

Electric car experts also say the habits and styles of individual drivers can contribute to the wear. Someone cruising around the neighborhood won’t have the same experience as someone who takes off at the green light like they’re in a “Fast and Furious” movie.

“If you drive like grandma, the type of car shouldn’t make a difference,” Sanchez said.

Wright agrees. “Me and my wife both have EVs with 20,000 or so miles on them and [the tires] look brand-new. I’m sure there are some weight contributions, but I just wonder how people drive their cars.”

Sanchez said many car owners also sometimes forget to do routine check-ups with tires, like filling them with air, alignments and rotations.

Many tire manufacturers also have developed “low rolling resistance tires” engineered with the goal of going farther on a single charge or gallon of gas. Tires with low rolling resistance have thinner sidewalls and shallower tread blocks. For electric vehicles, it can add to the price. Some premium tires can run $100 higher than typical car tires of similar size.

Some electric vehicle owners get far more life out of tires than others and it’s important to note that complaints about tire wear aren’t confined to electrical vehicles. One J.D. Power survey found that fast wear was the top complaint for car owners, no matter what was powering the vehicle — gasoline, diesel fuel or batteries. The survey found that car owners expected about three times the amount of tire mileage they were actually getting.

Tire makers appear to be responding to the electric vehicle tire concerns, which have been aired on social media, in car publications and in mainstream media. At the American Trucking Association’s Technology & Maintenance Council’s 2023 annual meeting, for instance, Goodyear announced its “Electric Drive Ready” embossed tires that would be “equipped to handle the higher load capacities of EVs.”

Michelin suggests getting the Primacy tire for electric vehicles, which they say offers up to a 7% increase in range. Michelin also sells “Self seal,” which would self-repair punctures and cut back on some weight by not needing to keep a spare wheel in the back.