Fleet managers have been warned to be prepared for altered tyre wear rates on electric company cars.
This news comes as increasing numbers of fleets in Ireland move to electric. With this transition, the balance of service, maintenance and repair (SMR ) costs will alter.
EVs are expected to cost less to service, thanks in part to fewer moving parts and the absence of requirements such as oil changes, but tyre life expectancy is likely to change compared with traditional internal combustion engine (ICE ) fleet vehicles.
ATS Euromaster, a major tyre provider in the UK, says a number of factors are at play that may hasten EV tyre wear rates. These include the bulk of the cars – the majority are heavy SUVs, which when combined with the weight of a large battery makes them extremely heavy, along with the exceptional torque offered by EVs, while regenerative braking may also have a role in shortening the tyre replacement cycle.
However the greatest influence on the wear rate of tyres is the driver. With EVs there does seem to be a tendency for drivers new to electric vehicles to make continued use of the exceptional acceleration offered, at least during the initial phase of the driver’s lifecycle with the vehicle.
The data is very young at the moment and there’s certainly not enough to draw significant conclusions about tyre wear, but driver behaviour appears to be a significant factor.
An ATS Euromaster spokesman added that he also suggests that fleets consider driver training before handing over a new EV to a company employee, to mitigate accelerated tyre replacement.
