Could tyre wear stymie EVs’ green credentials?

Electric vehicles (EVs) have a mostly well deserved reputation for being better for the environment than internal combustion (ICE) vehicles. But they much harder on tyres, generating more wear and tear, and that wear and tear is stymieing EVs’ green credentials. The particle pollution emitted by tyre wear and tear is nearly 2,000 times greater than the pollution generated by ICE vehicle emissions. If EVs are to be part of the climate change solution, tyre technology needs to change  and drivers need to ensure that the tyres their EVs use are in as good a shape as possible.

EVs are generally heavier than ICE vehicles, due to the large batteries that power them, and the electric “jolt” an EV receives when it begins moving generates much more torque than ICE vehicles receive as they speed up, causing tyres to wear out more rapidly. According to Goodyear, EV tyres wear out up to 30% faster.

This requires EV owners to pay extra attention to their tyres, and for maintenance shops and dealers to monitor tyre condition. EV service garages, dealers and tyre speciality stores that offer inspection and safety services need to use advanced inspection technology—harnessing AI and imaging—to determine the roadworthiness of vehicle tyres. Technologies such as computer vision can help owners and repairers quickly assess tyre condition to help determine when tyres may need to be replaced. These systems can scan all parts of a vehicle with a mobile phone camera, assessing their condition and determining if there are excessive wear or safety issues.

Tyre technology is trying to keep up with the special demands of EVs. Already, large tyre manufacturers like Goodyear and Michelin sell tyres designed for EVs that are able to perform better under the heavier EV loads, with special tread designs that reduce road noise (to match the quieter rides associated with vehicles that don’t have traditional engines). Those tread designs (with a wide centre rib pattern) also help vehicles attain a better grip on the road, and reduce slippage at high speeds.

In addition, advanced materials such as Aramid, similar to Kevlar, the material used in bulletproof vests, help reduce wear and tear. That’s not just good for drivers, it’s also good for the environment, as less wear and tear means less particle pollution, enabling EVs to better fulfil their mission of reducing pollution. Manufacturers are also looking at other sustainable and recyclable materials for future tyre design—another factor that will make tires more environmentally-friendly.

Advanced braking design can also help preserve EV tyres. Many vehicles today feature regenerative braking systems, which capture kinetic energy generated during braking and convert it into electrical power, feeding it back into the vehicle’s battery. This makes things easier on the brakes and, subsequently, the tyres, which share the burden of slowing or stopping a vehicle with the regenerative braking system.

Scientists and automakers are also working on ways to reduce torque within EV vehicle systems using methods such as computer-based torque coordination control, ensuring that vehicles don’t speed up too quickly, causing more unnecessary tyre wear.

This innovation must continue, as tyres and awareness of  tyre condition are key to helping EVs achieve their goal of providing more sustainable mobility.

The opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Automotive World Ltd.

Neil Alliston is Executive Vice President at  Ravin.ai

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