GETTING THE BEST OUT OF EV MOTORING

When you switch to an electric vehicle, do you also need to switch your tyres? That’s not an easy question, especially as tyre manufacturers seem divided on the benefits of EV rubber.

One brand that has embraced it is Vredestein, owned by Indian tyre giant Apollo. Vredestein recently launched the Quatrac Pro EV, which it claims is the first all-season tyre dedicated to performance EVS. Why? Sanjay Patel, Apollo’s development chief, cites research that 54% of drivers feel electric vehicles should be fitted with Ev-specific tyres. “EV drivers are really concerned with range and notice road noise far more, so we wanted to address that,” he says.

Patel explains that the goals when developing the tyre were to handle the extra weight of EVS, to maximise range and to reduce road noise. Changes were made throughout the production process, starting with a reworked blend of silica and polymers, lighter belt materials and a thinner sidewall.

The EV tyre’s outside shoulder is wider than standard to reduce lateral deformation, the grooves are steeper to reduce distortion and the asymmetric tread design features stiffer blocks to handle increased cornering loads. Those tread blocks were also redesigned to reduce the tyre’s pitch, further decreasing the noise.

The result, says Patel, is a tyre that’s High Load-certified yet lighter and quieter than a standard all-season tyre. He claims it also offers better handling, 15% less rolling resistance and increased range, while reducing braking distances and noise too. Marginal gains, then, but even slight improvements in range and refinement will be welcome for EV drivers and potentially persuasive for those thinking of joining them.