Winter tires for Electric Vehicles: Easy to choose?

The winter season is approaching, and many consumers are looking for new winter tires. With the popularity of hybrid and electric vehicles, a new specialized niche is developing.

Electromobilists, here are some tips for shopping for your tires!

1. Quiet ride by choosing tires with smaller blocks

2. Studded tires VS condos or indoor parking lots

Beware, some building owners prohibit this type of tire in their parking lots. Ask the question before buying to guide your choice.

3. Grip when accelerating from a complete stop

With EVs the power to the wheels is direct and sudden, which has the same effect as with pickup trucks: the tires tend to slip. It is recommended to rotate the tires in the middle of the season in order to even out the wear and improve the durability of the product.

4. Tire pressure sensors

Virtually all recent vehicles are equipped with these sensors, do not forget to inform yourself. Otherwise, you will have an error message or a warning light on your dashboard.

Let's dig even deeper!

First of all, the notion of silence on the road becomes extremely important in terms of electromobilism. Indeed, the electric motor emitting little noise, the soundproofing of vehicles may be less important than that of conventional vehicles, which has the effect of increasing the perceived noise of winter tires.

Many consumers will therefore tend to put this element at the top of their list of purchasing criteria.

Then, electromobilists live with what is called "range anxiety" which can be summed up as a fear of getting stuck somewhere without being able to recharge.

Add to that the decrease in traction battery power due to the cold and it's easy to understand the obsession some have with the range of their vehicles.

When it comes to summer or all-season tires, there are plenty of options with low rolling resistance, but when it comes to winter tires, caution should always trump saving energy.

Finally, the weight of the EVs must be taken into consideration. Indeed, because of the batteries, EVs are much heavier than their gasoline equivalent.

For example, a 2022 Kia Soul with a conventional engine weigh around 2844 lbs, while the Kia Soul EV will weigh around 3465 lbs. That's a difference of 621 lbs for the same size vehicle with the same wheelbase. It is therefore important to see the load coefficient of the coveted tire and to opt for a tire with solid sidewalls.

What is the load factor? This is the number that accompanies the size of your tires, ex: 225/55R18 97T, the coefficient is the number "97" which in this case is equivalent to 1609 lbs but a tire of the same size 225/55R18 94T will be able to support 1477 lbs. This difference makes the tire design stiffer and less likely to deform when cornering.

It should also not be overlooked that a heavier vehicle will need more distance to stop. The quality of the tire will have a direct impact on occupant safety.

Finally, let's never forget that even if an electric or electric hybrid vehicle is supposedly less expensive to maintain than a conventional vehicle and visits to the garage are less frequent, it is essential to be well informed about tires in order to make the right choice.

Because after all, you must never forget that the tires are your link to the road and that the contact surface with the latter is about the size of your hand!

Questions about anything?

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Good season!