How to select the best tires for your plug-in hybrid

The popularity of electric vehicles continues to rise, accounting for approximately seven percent in 2023¹ of all auto sales in the US. Meanwhile, potential EV owners have more to choose from as automakers continue to release new models with longer ranges and better performance.

Consumers also have more choices in the type of electric vehicle, namely whether to go full EV or opt for a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV). Plug-in hybrids can fully run on electric battery power but are also equipped with a gas-powered internal combustion engine (ICE) that switches on when the battery is almost depleted.

For many drivers making the switch to a more fuel-efficient form of transportation, plug-in hybrids may be the perfect solution in reducing their use of fossil fuels while avoiding the onset of range anxiety. That’s the situation EV owners sometimes face when their car’s battery is low and the nearest charging option is far away.

Plug-in hybrids are also powered by both rechargeable batteries and regenerative braking, a step up from traditional hybrids, which are only equipped with regenerative braking and require gasoline to operate. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), on the other hand, are equipped with a plug for charging from the grid, and theoretically would never need a drop of gas to run, especially if they are only used close to home for shorter trips.

So, are plug-in hybrids closer to regular gas-powered cars and does that mean they can be treated like a regular car? Some aspects are the same, and like an ICE vehicle, plug-in hybrids need oil changes and other typical conventional car maintenance. However, they also share many of the special traits unique to electric cars, particularly a heavier weight, quieter operation and instant torque. This unique profile makes a big difference in the tires you choose for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

Let’s take a closer look at what tires work best for a plug-in hybrid. Is it possible to use standard tires on a PHEV and what is the potential impact on performance and safety? Or is it better to choose special EV-specific tires for a plug-in hybrid? And if so, what does an EV owner need to look for to get the best handling, range and wear from a set of replacement tires for a plug-in hybrid?

The biggest issue that sets plug-in hybrids apart from their fully gas-powered relatives is their heavier weight. Electric vehicles are known to be significantly heavier on average compared to conventional cars because of the battery. PHEVs are also heavier vehicles, equipped with a battery as well as an engine, fuel tank and exhaust system. All that additional weight stresses the vehicle tires, so they need to be engineered and made with the right compounds and rubber to wear well over time.

Then there’s the instant torque, the way an EV or PHEV can so quickly accelerate. As fun as that is, this 0-to-60-seconds ability of an electric car is also harder on tires. PHEVs can be quieter than a conventional car with a combustible engine, which means tire noise in the cabin can become an issue if the tires haven’t been designed to deliver a quiet ride.

Regenerative braking, an electric vehicle's ability to recharge its batteries using braking power, can also impact tires on a PHEV. During this process, kinetic energy that may be otherwise lost is converted into electric energy and returned to the battery. As ingenious and revolutionary as regenerative braking is, it can lead to tires wearing faster. And since it is a key technology in plug-in hybrids, choosing special tires that can withstand the extra stress of regenerative braking is key.

Finally, there is the issue of range, the other concern a PHEV owner needs to think about when choosing tires for electric vehicles. People looking for EV-specific tires must know that Michelin tires are designed to keep rolling resistance to a minimum, basically the force-resisting motion when a tire rolls on a surface. The lower the rolling resistance, the less power your battery needs to supply to move your car forward and the farther you can get on just battery power. Battery range for plug-in hybrid cars is usually much lower than a fully electrified vehicle because PHEV owners mostly use battery power to cover shorter distances and gasoline for longer trips. However, low rolling resistance tires can also improve the range of PHEVs when gas is being used, resulting in improved MPGs. If you want to get the most range from your PHEV, wether running strictly on electricity or powered by the battery, low rolling resistance will get them farther.

So, when it comes to whether plug-in hybrids need special tires, the short answer is they do better if they are rolling with tires built to stand up to the greater weight and demands of a PHEV, as is generally the case for all electric vehicles.

What are some of the options to consider when choosing special tires for a plug-in hybrid? Michelin’s decades of experience in tire engineering and optimal performance have uniquely positioned it for the advent of electric vehicles and the demands they place on tires. Michelin has long been at the forefront of finding solutions to reduce tire wear, limit tire noise and keep rolling resistance to a minimum —all the very traits a good tire needs to handle the extra heft and instant torque of an electric vehicle or PHEV.

The Michelin Defender 2 tire is an excellent choice for PHEV owners focused on tire wear and long tread life. The tough durability of the Evertread™ tire compound, along with state-of-the-art tire design and construction, gives the Defender 2 tire 2 years of additional treadlife compared to EV competitors.¹ The Michelin Primacy MXM4 tire is another good choice for PHEVs, boasting low rolling resistance and enhanced range, up to seven percent more compared to the competition².

What tires you put on your plug-in hybrid always has to do with your driving habits, your priorities and also the climate you live in. If you do a lot of long highway driving, then you should look closely at the durability of a PHEV tire and potential tire wear. If you want a quiet comfortable ride, you might consider the Michelin Primacy family or Pilot EV tire family. These tires have been designed with an ultra-quiet tread design, but still deliver great performance handling and wear. And for PHEV owners living in winter climates, the Michelin X-Ice Snow tire is a great option for ensuring piece of mind and enhanced winter traction.

No matter what you choose as tires for a plug-in hybrid, there are a number of things you can do to optimize their performance and limit tire wear. Keeping your tires properly inflated is one of the easiest and most important ways to keep your electric vehicle tires in top shape. Tires lose about 1.5 psi of air every month. Over time, this can result in hazardous road handling conditions and tires over heating at higher speeds. Additionally, it can affect the range of your PHEV. Making sure your tires are inflated to their correct pressure decreases rolling resistance to get you farther on a single charge. It also extends the lifespan of vehicle tires, whose treads wear down more quickly if they are rolling on too little air.

Another maintenance routine for preventing early tire wear and enhancing range on your plug-in hybrid car is tire rotation. This is sometimes even more important on PHEVs, many of which rely on regenerative braking in either the front wheels (FWD) or the rear wheels (RWD). Even if your electric car is all-wheel drive (AWD), it is recommended to rotate tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles or at the first sign of uneven wear.

And finally, how the treads of your hybrid plug-in tires look is another important way to maintain them. The tire tread is the part of the tire that grips the road when you drive. If the tread looks worn down, your PHEV is likely losing traction, will need a longer time to brake, and it might even make be more difficult to control in inclement weather.

Visually inspecting the tread of your PHEV tires is a simple way to give you peace of mind and stay on top of when you’ll next need replacement tires for your electric car. Michelin tires have treadwear indicator bars at 2/32 of an inch of remaining tread, which is considered the minimum tread depth generally recognized as safe to drive.

You can also conduct a visual inspection with what is known as the penny test. Simply insert a U.S. penny in the tread groove with Lincoln’s head facing downward. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, that means it is time to replace your tires. Make sure to check tread depth with the penny test across the whole width of the tire in case of uneven tire wear.

For more facts and information about tires for electric cars, visit our FAQ page or our EV Tires page with links to in-depth articles about tires and EVs. Use the Tire Selector module here below to start shopping for the right tire for your vehicle or visit the Shop EV Tires page for an overview of Michelin’s EV-Ready tires.

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1 Based on U.S. Department of Transportation Average Annual Miles per driver (13,500 miles) and Desrosiers
Automotive Consultants estimate of annual average kilometers driven in Canada (23,000 km), and on a treadwear test
using tires in size 235/45R18 on Tesla Model 3 Standard Range RWDs where the Michelin Defender 2 showed an estimated life (based on calculating the most-worn groove of a rotated set) of 72,301 miles versus the Goodyear ElectricDrive GT tire at 38,610 miles and the Pirelli P ZERO ALL SEASON Plus ELECT tire at 43,478 miles. Actual on-road results may vary.

2 Based on internal rolling resistance testing using the standard ISO 28580 method in tire size 235/45R18 XL comparing the Michelin Primacy MXM4 T1 tire (6.59 kg/ton) versus the Goodyear ElectricDrive GT tire (8.94 kg/ton) and Pirelli P ZERO ALL SEASON Plus ELECT tire (8.28 kg/ton). Considering a 2022 Tesla Model 3 RWD fitted with size 235/45R18 tires, a battery capacity of 57.5kWh, and an autonomy of 438km (272mi), under the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) test conditions, this gap of 2.35 kg/ton (for Goodyear) and 1.69 kg/ton (for Pirelli) equates to a gain of autonomy of more than 8% of the initial range. Actual on-road results may vary. Third-party trademarks owned by Goodyear and Pirelli.

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