EU from November 2012 will need to be labelled at point of sale, providing data on wet grip performance, fuel efficiency and rolling noise. It will be compulsory for tyre manu- facturers to make this information available to customers.
The label itself will look a bit like one of those energy efficiency labels you get on new white goods. On it will be three bits of information: fuel efficiency, wet grip and noise emissions. Fuel efficiency will be rated on a sliding scale from A to G, with A being the best performers and G being the worst. The difference between each grade means a reduction or increase in fuel consumption of between 2.5%-4.5%.
Wet grip will also be measured on a scale from A to G. The difference between each grade equates to an increase or decrease in stopping distance of between one to two car lengths (3-6 metres) when braking at speeds of 50mph.
External rolling noise will be measured in decibels split into three sound wave catego- ries. One sound wave will demonstrate that the tyre is 3dB less than the future tighter European limit; two will show that the tyre is already compliant with the future European limit; and three, that the tyre is compliant with the current regulations.
Separate legislation will set new minimum requirements on rolling resistance, noise and
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wet grip for all tyres on sale in the UK from November 2012, with further reductions planned for November 2016.
The campaign also focuses on another oft- ignored factor: tyre maintenance. It is not good buying better tyres (or any tyre for that matter) if you don’t look after them. Not only are under-inflated tyres dangerous, affecting braking and handling, and increasing the risk of blowouts, they also increase fuel consump- tion by up to 4% and last half as long as correctly pressurised tyres. Under- or over- inflated tyres may also increase tyre noise.
“If we all switched to these tyres, we could save 6.6M tonnes of oil a year in Europe by 2020 and cut CO2 emissions”
Safety experts suggest checking check tyre pressure every 2-4 weeks and before setting off on long journeys.
The same goes for tyre tread depth, impor- tant because when a road is wet, the tread pattern helps to remove water from the road surface, enabling the tyre to grip, steer and accelerate properly.
Worn tyres reduce braking and handling capability on wet roads, putting staff and other road users at risk. Worn tyres are also noisier. Though UK law requires truck
tyres to have a minimum of 1mm of tread (1.6mm for cars), safety experts recommend that for optimum performance, tyres should be replaced when it falls below 3mm. Incorrect wheel alignment, often caused by hitting a kerb or going over a pothole, can lead to rapid irregular tyre wear, affect safety performance and increase fuel consumption. There is a cost implication, of course; though it varies from brand to brand, they are currently similar in price to most premium tyres. In terms of the payback period, there isn’t much data around yet, but statistics from the Department for Transport’s impact assess- ment on the tyre labelling proposals, con- cluded that the payback period for switching to the most fuel efficient tyres from average tyres is currently about around 6-8 months for cars and 2.5 months for vans. This could become shorter when the price of better tyres comes down in response to increased cus- tomer demand.
“Cost reduction is a top priority for fleet managers,” says Roddy Graham, commercial director of Leasedrive Velo and chairman of the Institute of Car Fleet Management. “Any area in which they can save money will be of interest. Fitment of safer, quieter, lower rolling-resistance tyres will be of assis- tance in this quest. Allied to proper inflation and sufficient tread depths, better tyres can save fleets money long term.”
Sustainable Business | June 2011 | 27
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