Preliminary tests suggest energy saving tyres most effective at higher speeds
Thu 05 June 2014
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A study by Emissions Analytics, the fuel economy testing consultancy, shows significant differences in the efficiency of 'energy saving' tyres when they are driven at mid-range speeds compared with higher, motorway-type speeds.
The researchers' preliminary tests revealed that at mid-range speeds tyres with a lower efficiency rating can perform as well as higher-rated tyres. It says that consumers who opt for tyres with a higher efficiency rating, using the European tyre labelling scheme introduced in November 2012, may fail to notice fuel savings, depending on the nature and type of route they typically drive.
Emissions Analytics says that "this was an unashamedly quick and dirty investigation but it does demonstrate that the relationship between rolling resistance and fuel economy is not linear and that to bring real improvements to the way tyres are bought and sold manufacturers need to adopt more sophisticated models".
Two contrasting sets of 175/70 R14 tyres were tested on the road; one rated B for fuel economy and the other F. The results revealed that at mid-range speeds, an F-rated tyre performs as well as a "more economical" B-rated tyre.
Emissions Analytics suggest that "improved, independently verified testing and labelling, perhaps with a monetary quantification of the typical benefit would provide a tangible benefit that the consumer would welcome".
LowCVP is currently developing a process to evaluate technologies such as low rolling resistance tyres for HGVs under robust analytical conditions to enable operators to have a clear and independent indication of the real benefits of a range of retrofit solutions.
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