In the early 1900s, New York’s streets were mainly busy with one form of transport: horses. As many as 200,000 working animals carried goods and towed passenger carriages. Yet New Yorkers looking for quieter forms of transport also had access to a surprising alternative: a fleet of more than 60 electric taxis. These early EVs were a clean and reliable way to get around town until two things happened: Henry Ford found a way to make gas-powered cars cheap to buy ($650 compared to $1,750 for an electric car) and Texan oil made them cheap to run. Very soon the fate of the electric car was, for the moment, sealed. 

But as electric transport becomes popular again – this time for environmental reasons – it is useful to remember that it is not new: it has been evolving for some time and will continue to develop. Therefore, in order to answer the question of how electrification influences tyre choices, we need to consider both the immediate impact of electrification – and another surprising possibility that is waiting for us in the future.

Choosing tyres is different because there are two key differences between electric and diesel trucks: EVs weigh more and they have a smaller range. 

A typical diesel truck weighs around 7.5 tonnes – significantly lighter than its electric counterpart which is closer to 9 tonnes, largely because of the massive battery packs required. With a 20% increase in mass, tyres need to be stronger. Tyre manufacturers have responded by increasing the load capacity of tyres: Goodyear has, for example, recently launched the URBANMAX MCA HL+ with a significantly higher load capacity for electric urban bus fleets. These fleets are being electrified more rapidly than long-range trucks, owing to urban pollution controls and shorter range requirements.

Maximising the battery range is of course the other challenge facing truck fleets – and therefore tyre manufacturers. With FUELMAX ENDURANCE, truck fleets have a robust truck tyre with a B rating for fuel efficiency, providing greater fuel and battery efficiency than its predecessors. Goodyear also helps minimise fuel consumption and extend range by providing tools such as TPMS that support maintaining the correct pressure, and thus support efficiency.

Looking further ahead, there are interesting developments in the field of ‘torque vectoring’ – the technique of applying different levels of torque to each wheel. The technique has been used in conventional high-end performance vehicles since the 1990s to increase control, stability and efficiency by preventing wheel spin when power is applied. 

Vectoring is of great significance to electric cars because of the enormous torque instantly generated by electric motors. This power may provide a thrill for sports car owners, but trucks do not need massive acceleration; they need control, safety and economy of operation. So torque vectoring in heavy goods vehicles is instead perceived as a way of economically managing the power to extend both battery life and tyre life. 

Torque vectoring is also much more simply applied in electric vehicles since multiple motors can be used to drive each wheel, removing the need for a complex (and heavy) differential system. If torque vectoring finds its way into mainstream truck design, it may change the way tyres are designed since the steer tyres on the front will be required to provide drive as well as direction, while the rear axle may play a part in steering as well as providing forward momentum. Thus the definition of drive and steer axles may become blurred, raising the question: why buy separate steer and drive tyres when all axles do both? In this way, the future of electric vehicles may not only make driving safer and more efficient, but also simplify tyre inventory management!

Since vehicle electrification is such an important development, it is no surprise that new ideas are constantly emerging. As engine technology and truck design continues to develop, new demands will be placed on tyre manufacturers too. Whatever drivetrain is used – and whatever the conditions or demands facing the vehicle – there will always be a need to provide the most appropriate and effective contact with the road surface, ensuring the right balance of safety and economy. 

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