Are electric cars burning through too many tyres?

A survey in the UK by car valuation firm CAP-HPI has found that electric cars can burn through their – expensive – tyres so quickly that it can potentially undo the savings that owners are making in other areas.

The survey by CAP found that, on average, an EV owner can potentially spend less than half what a combustion-engined driver will spend on servicing. The figures showed that average servicing costs for an EV stand at £299 + VAT (€344 equivalent) compared to as much as £624 for a diesel-engined car (€718 equivalent).

That’s the cost for a single service, so over three or four years of ownership, that would really add up. Steve Chambers, senior editor at CAP-HPI, said: “The main difference in direct service costs is down to the removal of oil, air and fuel filters. With BEVs, there are obviously no spark plugs to contend with and at higher mileages and ages, no troublesome timing belts and chains to consider.”

There’s a rub, though – tyres. The same CAP-HPI survey showed that electric cars are getting through their tyres considerably more quickly, and they’re not cheap tyres.

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[ Will an EV end up costing more or less than a petrol or diesel car? ]

Chambers said that when looking at other factors, including brakes and tyres, the difference in forecast is reduced and, in some instances, reversed. “Outside of servicing, tyres are the main cost area for drivers, with EV tyres typically more expensive as they become worn sooner than ICE [internal combustion engine] equivalents, mainly due to vehicle weight. In addition, EVs on average have larger or less common tyre sizes that are more expensive.

“There are numerous factors to consider in all of this, but fundamentally, when it comes to service and maintenance costs, EV models are outperforming ICE equivalents and do cost less to run. The question is whether or not drivers will feel it that much if they are doing very low mileage.”

Tyre companies are working on better, and more affordable, tyres for EVs as they gain experience of how these cars and their rubber function in the real world

EVs have a double disadvantage when it comes to tyre usage – they’re already heavier by far than their petrol or diesel counterparts (on average, an EV can be up to 500kg, or even 750kg heavier than an equivalent combustion model – batteries are heavy things) and they deliver their torque differently.

Torque is the turning power of an engine. It’s the thing that gives you that initial jolt of acceleration and pushes you back hard in your seat. While combustion-engined cars take a few seconds to reach their full torque output, EVs deliver all their torque instantly. It’s what makes even relatively humble electric cars so quick in the 0-100km/h sprint – a new Volvo EX30 crossover can do 0-100km/h in a ridiculous 3.6 seconds, quicker than some Ferraris.

Torque also tortures tyres, squashing the tread blocks into the tarmac as the turning force fights both the weight and inertia of the car and the friction between the tyre and the road, and that will inevitably increase wear. The fact that EVs tend to come with larger wheels – 19- and 20-inch rims are common even among relatively affordable models – and the fact that their tyres are specified from manufacture to be high-performance models to cope with the power, weight, and torque all means that the cost keeps adding up.

[ Some 85% of EV drivers say running costs are cheaper, but upfront outlay still a deterrent for many ]

So does that mean that extra cost for EV tyres is inevitable? Essentially, yes it does but there is some nuance to the figures.

Volkswagen Group Ireland – across its VW, Skoda, Audi and Cupra brands – offers Irish car buyers a “tyre maintenance plan” option, which covers them for the first three years of tyre replacements. There’s also three years’ worth of tyre insurance, which covers any accidental or malicious damage. It costs about €1,200 for a Skoda Enyaq, for example, and is built into the price – and therefore the finance package – of the car.

Because of this, VW Group Ireland is – unsurprisingly – monitoring what happens to the EV tyres that it’s replacing and insuring, and the figures make for interesting reading. The headline figure is that EV owners can expect to see tyre replacement and maintenance costs about 20 per cent higher than combustion-engine car drivers.

Part of that higher cost is indeed down to higher wear rates. The VW figures show that, over the first four years of service, an EV model will go through 2.6 tyres, while a combustion car will go through 2.2 tyres. There’s also the higher cost of the tyres themselves – 75 per cent of EV tyres come from premium tyre brands, whereas that’s the case for only 30 per cent of combustion-engined models.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom for EV drivers from a tyre point of view. According to VW Ireland: “EV customers spend 43 per cent less on average on maintenance and wear parts in the first four years in service compared to ICE customers – there’s no engine oil to change; no oil, fuel and air filters; no spark plugs; no timing belts to replace,; no need for Ad Blue. Equally, over-the-air software updates contribute to EV vehicles spending about 25 per cent less time in the workshop, with resultant labour savings.”

[ What’s holding EV sales back? It’s the price, stupid ]

Robert Guy, director of Aftersales for Volkswagen Group Ireland, said early indications show tyre replacement rates for EVs can be attributed to a number of factors, chief among which is driver behaviour: “Tyre technology is evolving rapidly,” he said. “The data is still very young to draw significant conclusions about wear but there is industry consensus that driver behaviour appears to be a significant factor. Higher weights and the quicker acceleration of EVs play a part, so driving style is particularly important when it comes to tyre longevity. Moderate acceleration and maintenance are important factors when trying to maximise lifespan. Choosing the right tyres is also essential to improve efficiency, braking performance and longevity.”

Equally, the tyre companies themselves are working on better, and more affordable, tyres for EVs as they gain experience of how these cars and their rubber function in the real world. Colm Coyngham, head of communications for Bridgestone Tyres, said: “We don’t believe increased tyre costs are inevitable as a result of purchasing an EV. Obviously, bigger tyre sizes will cost more, so that aspect will depend on what type of car you are changing from; what tyre sizes you were previously buying. In the replacement tyre market we offer our latest Turanza 6 which has low rolling resistance and is EV-ready. The pricing is largely in line with its predecessor, the T005. So there are no additional costs for the EV tyre technology on an equivalent tyre-size basis.”

Coyngham also believes that driver behaviour has a massive role to play: “We believe that it is possible to achieve the same run-out mileages on our EV tyres as compared to previous products. We have some anecdotal examples of high mileages on Irish roads. How vehicles are driven and how tyres are maintained can have a significant influence on the tyres’ longevity. It may be that driving styles in EVs with their extra torque and weight has impacted tyre life. Drivers may adjust their driving style over time. We would recommend a smoother driving style of gentle acceleration and breaking to prolong tyre life. Regular tyre and pressure maintenance is also very important and keeping an eye on irregular wear.”

[ EV charging company Erapid secures €30m investment from Aviva Investors ]

Continental Tyres is also ramping up EV tyre development, and a spokesperson said: “There are many factors that determine the durability of tyres. These include driving style, the tyre’s tread design, regional climate, road conditions, how often the vehicle is used and many others. Added to this – and for electric vehicles in particular – are specific characteristics such as the higher torque and the higher weight due to the battery.

Tyre replacement rates for EVs can be attributed to a number of factors, chief among which is driver behaviour

“But we are no strangers to heavy and high-performance vehicles, regardless of how they are powered. This is why we responded early to these technical challenges in product development. Our products are made of exceptionally abrasion-resistant polymer compounds and feature tread designs capable of counteracting the high traction forces associated with electric vehicles. Our development engineers and material experts are working to continuously enhance both the tyre design and the composition of our tyre compounds in order to further extend the service life of our tyres without compromising on safety.”

There are factors which will likely bring down the cost of EV tyre replacement in the coming years. First off, the car makers and tyre suppliers will become more used to the way in which EVs function, and will design and market their wares accordingly. Hopefully also, car makers will tire (no pun intended) of the tiresome (ditto) practice of tuning EVs for all-out instant acceleration, and create electric motors which are more progressive in their torque delivery, which might help.

Equally, the more affordable tyre brands will start to break into the EV replacement tyre market, and will bring with them tyres that are cheaper to buy but still capable of good, and crucially safe, performance.

It’s not just about cost, of course. According to a study by Qingdao University of Science and Technology in China, global waste from tyres is expected to hit 1.2 billion tonnes by 2030 and, while all of that is potentially recyclable, it takes 1,019kWh of electricity to produce one-tonne of finished tyres. Equally, there are serious concerns about the particulate (dust) emissions from tyre wear, as well as the shedding of microplastics. If EVs want to be a truly environmentally conscious mobility solution, they – and we – need to start being gentler on their rubber.

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