How different are EV tyres from that of regular cars

The tire design process is going to be more or less the same for an EV and a normal ICE car. But the input parameters/requirements for the design will be slightly different and more challenging.

BHPian rajiv.agrawal recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I wanted to learn about the kind of tyres used by EVs the world over. Are they the regular petrol/diesel saloon tyres meant for asphalt roads or are they specialized/tougher akin to off road tyres? If yes, then is it because EVs have far more torque than such regular saloons?

And what about the other parts, like batteries, motors etc., are they indigenous or partly imported?

Also, are these tyres being imported by Indian EV manufacturers/SKD or CKD foreign manufacturers or are they being supplied by our own Indian tyre companies?

I am yet to be able to buy any EV, but the automobile junkie in me has been pestering me for answers, hence this post.

Here's what BHPian carthick1000 had to say on the matter:

The tire design process is going to be more or less the same for an EV and a normal ICE car. But the input parameters/requirements for the design will be slightly different and more challenging:

Requirement - Parameter - Design decisions

1. EVs tend to be heavier than their ICE counterpart - Handle more weight - Increased load bearing capacity of the tread, plies and sidewalls.

2. Instant acceleration - Handle more torque - Improved tread pattern and rubber compounds.

3. Better range and efficiency - Have low rolling resistance - Tall and narrow tires (BMW i3 is a classic example. No it's not the spare tire).

4. Should be quieter than ICE cars as there is no engine noise - Improved sound damping - Silent tread compounds, damping materials in inner lining of tires (Tesla model X tires are an example. Continental is also doing it now-a-days on their EV models).

Source

Tire is a complex automotive component which has quite a lot of engineering behind it. So the above are just some indicative things. There can be also a cross-relation to each of these parameters for eg. the tread compounds affect the tire noise as well as the torque handling. So there is always tradeoff between these different parameters.

Every tire manufacturer worth their salt have atleast a few models specific to EVs in their line-up. Just like the EV market is now at early stages in India, there is probably also not much EV specific tires in Indian market. But soon they will catch up as demand rises. Trivia: Vredestein, a Dutch tire company, which is now owned by the Indian Apollo tyres, do have EV specific tires in their lineup.

Here's what BHPian TrackDay had to say on the matter:

They would definitely be different due to the heavier weight of electric cars in general and also to handle the instantaneous power. They also have to be quiet since there is no noise coming due to the absence of an ICE engine. Here is a video about a tyre dealer's take on electric vehicle,s tyres. This one is oriented around Teslas, but it should pretty much paint a good idea about what to expect regarding tyres during an EV ownership.

I would like to know if anyone has gone with normal tyres due to an emergency situation? Would be an interesting topic since the special tyres are less likely to be available everywhere. Also what about special applications such as snow?

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