It is estimated that around 115 million tyres are sold in the EU each year. The new tyre labelling regulation came into force in November 2012, which is to clearly display each tyres individual detail. The details include things such as; the quality of the tyre, it’s fuel efficiency, noise volume and braking abilities in wet conditions.
The labelling system grades tyres from an A to a G based on:
- Wet Grip (safety)
- Rolling Resistance (fuel efficiency)
- Number of Decibels (DBS to display their rolling noise)
The labels are of a great advantage to consumers who can now compare tyres based on the clear information in place
- and choose the best performer, for their own requirements. The European Commission estimate that, due to tyres accounting for between 20% – 30% of a vehicle’s fuel consumption, if you select an A rated tyre for its energy efficiency then you could be saving around £200 per year in petrol costs. When you take into account the higher price of tyres in the A classification as oppose to those in the G the break-
even point is met within the second year of purchase, i.e. long before the end of life for higher quality tyres.
A survey carried out by French Automobile Club Association, within five major European countries. The findings were that 80% of consumers were in favour of the new tyre labelling system, and 85% said that they would be willing to pay a higher price for a tyre that displayed both increased safety and increased energy confirmation.
The main reason for the new tyre legislation is to coincide with the EU energy efficiency action plan, which aims to reduce the total energy consumption within the European Union by 20% by the year 2020.
Tyre labels and exceptions
Tyres that are; vintage, re-treaded, spares, studded, motorcycles, racing or that have
a speed rating of under 80 km/h do not have to have the labels affixed. However, all standard passenger cars, 4×4’s and vans do.
When choosing your tyres, it’s best to go for a supplier who can provide you with a range of quality tyres to suit your vehicle. Whilst there are many retailers of tyres, few go the extra mile to see what will suit your particular needs, and knowing how to choose the right one will ensure that you not only get better performance, but it could save you money in the long run too.