EU TYRE REGULATIONS AND FUEL EFFICIENCY
The new EU tyre regulations being introduced from November 2012 will mean that all tyres will have a label which contains a rating for fuel efficiency, wet grip and braking performance and also external noise levels.
From this time, all EU tyres must include this label by law so whichever tyre retailer you visit, the new EU tyre label will be prominently displayed on the tyre tread, and its ratings and what they mean should also be explained to you as a consumer.
Fuel efficiency is a very important factor when choosing a tyre – the more fuel efficient the more money you will save on fuel. We are often asked in our branches about fuel efficient tyres. Many premium brands have spent considerable time into research and development to produce the most fuel efficient tyres or 'energy saving tyres' as they are sometimes called, without sacrificing performance or tyre wear. But how can a tyre actually affect fuel efficiency?
Over 20% of a car's fuel consumption is linked to tyre rolling resistance. What is rolling resistance? Well in simple terms, rolling resistance is simply the energy lost from the friction of the tyre hitting the road. So the more rolling resistance a tyre has i.e. energy required to keep the car moving and overcoming the roll resistance, the more fuel required.
Therefore by choosing low rolling resistance tyres which require less energy and are more fuel efficient, you will use less fuel and save money.
You cannot eliminate rolling resistance altogether, but by choosing low roll resistance tyres you can improve your fuel efficiency. This is why the rating on the new EU tyre labels will help you to make the right choice for your driving requirements as the fuel efficiency and rolling resistance will be rated.
The new tyre regulations include a fuel efficiency/rolling resistance rating from A to G to help you see at a glance how economic the tyres are. A is the most fuel efficient and G is the least efficient. So if you do a lot of driving and fuel efficiency is important to you, then look for tyres rated A, B or C.
Call your local branch FREE on 0800 432 0460 to ask one of National’s expert tyre fitters for advice on the best low roll resistance tyres to reduce your fuel bills. Alternatively click here to search for tyres.