New EU legislation came into force in 2012 that compels tyre makers to provide labels on tyres showing their fuel efficiency (roll resistance) , noise levels and wet grip. The new rules apply to all tyres made since 1st July 2012.
The tyre labelling concept is very similar to the energy rating labels we are all familiar with on electrical appliances and light bulbs etc.
According to the European Federation for Transport and Environment – each band improvement gives a fuel saving of 1.5% on average . So – a tyre that is “A” rated for fuel efficiency should result in a car using about 9% less fuel than a “G” rated tyre.
In real terms – this could mean a car that travels 20,000 km a year and uses 6l per 100km would use 1200 litres of fuel . Using tyres that are A rated for roll resistance instead of G rated ones – could mean you use about 9% less fuel – that is about 108 litres which is worth about €150 a year. As well as saving money you will also be helping the environment.
With a car that has a fuel consumption of 10litres per 100km – even bigger savings could be made. A car like this doing 25,000 km a year would in theory use about 225 litres LESS fuel a year on band A tyres compared to band G tyres. This works out at approx €310 Euro. With savings like this – you could pay for a new set of tyres!
We expected to find that the more efficient tyres (A or B ) would be much more expensive than those rated “G” or “F” – but that isn’t the case.
Checking some tyre prices online we couldn’t see any “A” rated tyres but we found that the price differences between band B and band F or G were not that much. We found several band B fuel efficiency tyres that were cheaper than less efficient band F tyres.
After Budget 2013– motorists were hit with petrol price increases , VRT increases and Motor Tax increases . Hopefully the new tyre labels will help motorists save a few Euros on fuel to help cover these Budget hikes.
Check Your Tyre Pressure : Uunderinflated tyres will have more rolling resistance, which translates into higher fuel consumption. Tyres mounted on the rim lose air over time, hence it is necessary to regularly check the air pressure and ensure the correct inflation as per owner‘s manual . It is no good buying tyres with lower roll resistance and driving on them underinflated . Correctly inflated tyres are also safer and last longer.