Electric vehicles need tires designed with different priorities in mind. And last week, another major player in the tire industry, Goodyear, is realizing it — with its first North American replacement tire designed specifically for electric vehicles.
According to the company’s press release, the Goodyear ElectricDrive GT is an all-season asymmetrical tread pattern slated to launch in 2022. The first size is 255/45R19 104W XL, corresponding to Tire size used for Tesla Model Y and Model 3 from factory. That equipment will also work for other existing electric vehicles.
David Reese, vice president of product development for Goodyear Americas, said in a statement, electric vehicles have different requirements for payload, torque, noise, range and rolling resistance than vehicles. burn in. For example, the roar of tires is more noticeable without the internal combustion engine, and engineers have to take into account the extra mass of the battery pack. Tires can also have a profound effect on scope and effectiveness, so EV-specific tires really a necessity.
Tesla Model Y
The tire also features Goodyear’s proprietary noise reduction technology and a specialized compound for maximum traction, the company claims.
Goodyear is certainly not the first, as other major players including Michelin, Continental and Bridgestone already offer replacement EV tires. Michelin has even developed an EV version of its popular Pilot Sport performance tyre, which the company claims was designed using lessons learned. from Formula E . racing (Michelin is the official tire supplier for this product line.)
And Goodyear pointed out some far-fetched concepts like a tire recovers energy from its bending motion. That technology was first shown off in 2015, however, and Goodyear hasn’t offered many updates since or discussed production possibilities.
