Why look for low rolling resistance in a tire?

265/70R16 All-season tires

The reason low rolling resistance is important especially if you own a hybrid or electric car or SUV is because low rolling resistance tires are the most fuel efficient for your hybrid or electric SUV. This is important because even if you have an electric vehicle, low rolling resistance tires will minimize the amount of energy used in a single drive allowing the car to go further with one charge.  What makes a tire have low rolling resistance? With rolling resistance being defined as the force resisting the motion when a tire rolls on a surface, in other words the combination of forces that work against the forward motion of your vehicle. Things like the weight of the vehicle, gravity, inertia, air drag and the amount of friction between the tires and the road surface all play a part. A low rolling resistance tire is a tire that is designed to reduce energy loss and increase fuel efficiency. They are also known as environmentally friendly tires or fuel-efficient tires.

Some factors that affect the rolling resistance are the tread pattern, size of the tire and the tire compound. Tread pattern has a significant impact on the rolling resistance. In general, the more aggressive the tread pattern the higher the rolling resistance. Another factor affecting the rolling resistance is the tire compound. Many manufacturers are now adding silica and oils to the traditional tire compound to lower the rolling resistance while not sacrificing traction. The size of the tires also affects the rolling resistance with wider tires having higher rolling resistance. In general, when buying tires for a hybrid or electric cars or SUVs it is important to consider the manufacturers recommended tire dimensions. This will assure the best performing tire size for your vehicle.

If the recommended dimensions for your vehicle is 265/70R16, then if in the market for all-season tires, you would need 265/70R16 all-season tires. In general, the all-season tires have the lowest rolling resistance as their tread pattern is not as aggressive as either snow tires or all-weather tires.  However all-season tires with larger dimensions than your car manufacturer’s recommended dimensions would have a higher rolling resistance.

If in the market for good quality all-season tires, then you should consider the Nokian zLine A/S all-season tires. These tires bring safety and performance together for a comfortable and luxurious drive. Offering precise handling and stability, controlled driving comfort and safety in all seasons. The new tread pattern design helps stabilize the handling. The contoured groove corners provide additional support during cornering and lane changes, which allows the tires to maintain a balanced and logical road contact at all times. The 3D siping actively binds the tread blocks together, improving the handling of this high-performance tire. With the most important feature of these tires being their low rolling resistance allowing for fuel saving or in the case of an electric car the distance the car can travel on one charge.

For more information on all-season tires visit: nokiantires.com