EV Tire Performance
The pursuit of low rolling resistance in new energy vehicles stems from range sensitivity. Tire rolling resistance accounts for 20%-30% of the total vehicle resistance, directly impacting energy consumption.
Traditional gasoline vehicles typically have a rolling resistance coefficient of 8-10 N/kN, while new energy vehicles need to reduce it to below the EU Class A standard of 5.5 N/kN. Otherwise, the added weight will increase rolling resistance by 15%-20%, resulting in an 8%-12% reduction in range.
Technological breakthroughs are concentrated in the dual-drive of "formula + structure": Linglong Tire reduces rubber molecule internal friction by more than 30% through its LRR low rolling resistance formula, combined with high-modulus, low-shrinkage tire materials and steady-state pressure technology, increasing vehicle range by 8%; Goodyear e-Ride, with its ultra-low rolling resistance coefficient of 5.53 N/kN, allows a 500 km range model to gain an additional 20 km of range.
This optimization requires balancing grip loss. Brands like Michelin employ a "layered tread design," where a high-grip outer layer of rubber complements an inner layer of low rolling resistance material.
High Load: A Structural Revolution to Bear Battery Weight
New energy vehicles, with battery packs adding 20%-30% to their weight, face stringent requirements for tire load capacity. Tests by the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC) show that electric vehicle tires, with an added weight of 240 kg, wear 0.31 mm more than gasoline vehicles, and ordinary tires are prone to cord breakage. A mid-size electric SUV, fully loaded, requires a single tire weighing up to 810 kg, necessitating tires with a load index of 104 or higher.
The solution lies in material and structural upgrades: the tire carcass uses high-modulus, low-shrinkage cords such as aramid fiber, and the bead diameter is increased to strengthen the wheel hub connection; the Linglong SPORT MASTER e series, through optimized sidewall curvature, achieves a more even distribution of ground pressure, with a wear index of 500, far exceeding the industry average of 350. Locke safety tires utilize 18 kinds of high-polymer composite materials, achieving a dual breakthrough in load-bearing capacity and puncture resistance.
Lightweighting and High Wear Resistance: A Technological Balance Amidst Contradictions
Lightweighting requires reducing tire weight to decrease energy consumption, while high wear resistance addresses the accelerated wear caused by the instantaneous torque of the electric motor—electric vehicle tires wear 20% faster than gasoline vehicle tires, potentially reducing their lifespan from 60,000 kilometers to 40,000 kilometers. This contradiction is resolved through material innovation:
Lightweighting: By using lightweight skeleton materials such as new polyester cords, Linglong Tires has achieved a tire weight reduction of over 10% through structural optimization.
High Wear Resistance: By adding a high proportion of silica and carbon black to the rubber compound, the Shore hardness is 5-10 degrees higher than that of gasoline vehicle tires, while simultaneously increasing the tread depth by 0.5-1mm to extend lifespan.
Products such as the Giti Driving Control P10, based on over 70 years of formula accumulation, have achieved 100,000 kilometers of wear resistance verification while maintaining lightweighting.
Grip and Quietness: A Dual Guarantee of Safety and Comfort
With no engine noise to mask the noise in new energy vehicles, tire noise becomes the primary source of sound. Simultaneously, the instantaneous high torque can easily lead to wheel spin during acceleration, creating a dual demand for grip and quietness.
Linglong Tire constructs a three-tiered system of "film breaking - water drainage - grip": FBU serrated grooves break the water film, and WFG technology optimizes drainage channels, resulting in a wet braking distance 0.33 meters shorter than international competitors. In terms of quietness, the quiet tread technology reduces noise by 3.2 decibels through unequal spacing and curved grooves.
High-end models employ a more comprehensive solution: Pirelli P Zero Elect uses an asymmetrical tread pattern to enhance handling, with polyurethane sound insulation cotton pasted on the inner side to absorb high-frequency noise.
Continental Conti.eContact uses a biomimetic tread pattern to balance water drainage and rolling resistance, and works with the ESP system to optimize torque distribution, compensating for the handling shortcomings caused by low rolling resistance.
