Tyre labels not providing the full picture – research17 June 2014

Tyres with a lower efficiency rating can, at certain speeds, perform as well as higher-rated tyres.

That's among the preliminary findings of research carried out by Emissions Analytics, which says the economy ratings on labels can be misleading.

The result, says the company, shows that buyers opting for higher-rated tyres may fail to achieve expected fuel savings, if vehicles are mainly used on urban operations.

"Our test found that at mid-range speeds, F-rated tyres can perform as well as B-rated tyres," explains Nick Molden, founder and CEO of Emissions Analytics.

"Tyre efficiency labels don't provide enough information for buyers to make an informed choice," he adds.

Evaluating contrasting sets of F- and B-rated tyres (175/70 R14), Emissions Analytics' test route incorporated a range of steady-state speeds from 40mph to 70mph on Tarmac in consistent ambient temperatures. The tests used the same vehicle and the same driver.

Overall, the B-rated tyre delivered superior performance in the 40-70 mph range, by an average of 3.8% mpg and 3.4% less CO2. There proved little difference at mid-range speeds, but a performance gap became evident at 55mph – and by 70mph, fuel economy improved by 12.9%.

EU tyre labelling was introduced in November 2012. It includes a test-bench-measured, rolling-resistance coefficient expressed as a fuel efficiency rating. However, with no linear relationship between rolling resistance and real-world fuel economy, better testing and modelling would give a clearer picture, says Emissions Analytics.

It also points to a report from the National Tyre Distributors Association and Lanxess, a manufacturer of high-tech rubber for tyres, which found that one year after the introduction of labelling, 93% of tyre retailers said customers never or only occasionally requested information on the label.

In addition, only 30% knew that tyre choice could affect fuel consumption.

Author
Laura Cork

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