New Year, New Tire Trends

As consumer tastes change, and as the automotive industry adapts and evolves, tire manufacturers will have to keep up with the pace of change and offer products that will continue to cater to the needs of the new automotive landscape.

One of the trends to keep an eye on is the growth in popularity of the electric vehicles (EVs). “The EV market is changing the way we think about tires,” says David Reese, VP Product Development, Goodyear Americas. “The batteries themselves make the vehicles heavier, so we’re seeing a requirement for extra-load tires simply to carry the mass of the vehicle. The additional torque can have an influence on tread wear, and from an industry standpoint, we’re aware of that, and we’re designing accordingly so that there’s a balance between tread wear, traction and rolling resistance.”

Another issue for EVs is noise. Reese explains …

Source: Autosphere