Technology to the rescue of tires for electric vehicles

If, like me, you own an electric car, you know that these vehicles are heavier, more powerful, quieter than combustion cars, not to mention that they are also more sensitive in terms of resistance to rolling. Therefore, they order that they be fitted with specific tires.

Electric vehicle drivers, you may also have noticed that the number of people using public charging stations is still on the rise. Sometimes the situation is such that you have to wait a long time before you can use the charger in question…

A tire that can help you go a long way…

To meet the needs of all these motorists, the tire manufacturer Sailun, a Canadian company with more than 20 years of experience in the field and which has tentacles all over the world, has developed a new tire called “ERange EV”. .

This is a product that is aimed specifically at electric vehicles, that promises to improve its performance, that offers a quiet ride and, above all, that is designed to increase the range of almost all electric vehicles. We are talking here as much about cars as about electric trucks and SUVs that are currently on the market.

These tires allow more range due to an advanced process that offers lower rolling resistance than other tires, while maintaining good traction.

With the growing number of electric vehicles now circulating on our roads almost everywhere on the planet, this innovation becomes useful and interesting since it promises us greater autonomy than that offered by other tires intended for electric vehicles.

For a Tesla Model 3, for example, the range will be 7% longer with these tires. This may not seem like much, but this latitude nevertheless allows you to drive longer with the same load and, possibly, will make it possible to avoid recharging. And since technology is evolving day by day to increase the capacity of electric car batteries, this 7% additional autonomy could be doubly profitable in a few years.

Conclusive road tests

It was on a Tesla Model 3 that experts used these tires during road tests that took place during the year in southern California.

Drivers rolled their Tesla electric vehicles shod with these tires on the roads of Beverly Hills, unceremoniously. In particular, they took a winding road perched on a hill which had its share of challenges.

With these tires on test, drivers navigated obstacles without hassle, including potholes that got in their way. The long descents and the many turns encountered also did not prevent the tires from performing well and offering good handling. The test continued on a highway and, again, the driving proved interesting, reported the experts who were on site.

In terms of road conditions, the manufacturer also promises that these tires will maintain good traction on wet roads and in humid environments as well as in drier conditions.

QUIET PLEASE

The other advantage relates to noise, or the absence of noise, rather. Considering the quiet ride we get from electric vehicle powertrains, regular tires can become noisy and unpleasant, especially when used at high speeds on a highway.

However, ERange EV tires use a system that helps reduce their noise, making them practically silent, and sometimes even quieter than the vehicle’s original tires.

You don’t even need to resort to the acoustic foam that other tire manufacturers use to try to reduce the noise. Let’s admit that the fact that they can keep the cabin quiet is, to say the least, worthy of interest.

In short, so many elements that can allow us to hope that these tires will be offered quickly. However, not only is the arrival of these tires imminent in North America, but they will also be offered in 32 rim sizes (from 15 to 22 inches). This is enough to cover 80% of electric vehicle models on the market.

That said, Quebec being what it is in terms of weather, we will probably have to wait a little longer to satisfy electric vehicle drivers in winter. For the moment, the Sailun company’s tire is of the four-season type only. We will have to see if winter tires will be developed and, if so, if they will be as efficient in terms of road holding and as satisfactory in terms of their quietness.

Of course, on my side, I will also wait to test the safety of these tires on our roads. If they make our roads even safer, I will be the first to be happy!