The advantages of using winter tires on an EV

The unique profile of an electrical vehicle has a lot of implications for the choice of tires. An EV’s heavier weight and powerful instant torque exert more stress on tires than a gas-powered vehicle, which has led to a new generation of special tires for electric vehicles. But what about winter? Does an electric vehicle need separate winter tires when the temperature drops?

Obviously, a lot depends on the climate where you live. The main reason to use winter tires on any vehicle is to improve grip and traction when the roads turn slippery. Driving with winter tires on snow or ice can significantly improve braking performance and handling when handling and braking turns problematic.

Regardless of weather conditions, electric vehicles require a longer braking distance for the simple reason that they are heavier than a conventional car because of their battery packs. And instant torque, an EV’s ability to transfer all its power almost immediately to turn a car’s wheels, can easily end up just spinning the wheels when driving on ice.

What does an EV owner need to consider when deciding if they should switch to winter tires in the colder months? What are the advantages of winter tires specifically designed for electric vehicles and what is unique about their design and build?

No matter what the season, the specific traits of an electric vehicle make it harder on tires. On average, EVs tend to wear out their tires faster compared to a conventional car, primarily because of their heavier weight and instant torque, as mentioned above.

Tires well-suited for EVs have been developed to better handle these challenges through the use of more durable tire compounds and tire design. A premium electric vehicle tire has also been engineered for low rolling resistance so that tire friction, how the tire meets the road, does not excessively drain battery range. And special tires for electric cars have been optimized to reduce tire noise, which becomes more noticeable in the relatively quiet operation of an EV.

A winter tire for an electric vehicle needs to do all of these things — offer durability, extended range and a quiet ride — but in more challenging conditions. Plus, it needs to deliver enhanced grip and safety to be able to handle the heavier weight of the vehicle for braking or acceleration on a slippery surface.

How do tire manufacturers add more grip to a winter tire, particularly a winter tire for electric vehicles? The main difference between summer and winter tires is the tire compound. Winter tires are built with softer compounds that enable them to remain flexible in colder temperatures, thus improving traction on the road.

The other difference is in the tire treads and how they are sculpted. The tread blocks contain more sipes, cutaways that increase grip by giving the tire more edges to grab the road. These openings also open up more void areas in the tire, which allows it to better clear rain and snow.

When considering whether to use winter tires on your electric car, it is important to understand that adding more grip to a tire makes it noisier and increases rolling resistance. That’s why it is best to choose winter tires that have also been engineered for a quieter ride and an extended range. Premium winter tires for electric vehicles offset the extra grip through advanced technologies to reduce noise and special tire compounds and designs that limit rolling resistance.

Michelin uses piano noise reduction technology across its summer and winter lines to tune the shape of a tire’s tread blocks and grooves. Essentially, unwanted frequencies in a tire noise profile are tuned out or made less noticeable. Some vehicle tires are also equipped with a foam ring inside the tire cavity to further reduce undesirable noise.

To ensure an EV’s range, Michelin winter tires are built with advanced tread compounds and exclusive tread designs that are engineered to reduce rolling resistance. However, given that an EV is harder on tires, it is also important to choose a tire that can stand up to the heavier weight and stress of an EV.

Even if you do fit your EV with special winter tires, you’ll need to plan your drive carefully to get farther on a single charge. Colder temperatures present a lot of challenges to electric vehicle range. Basically, cold slows down the chemical reactions in a battery, which reduces the available energy.

Add to that the need to run the heat and the greater demands on a vehicle to navigate slippery conditions and the end result is a drop in EV range in winter. Simple steps like pre-heating the vehicle cabin while the electric car is still plugged in and driving in eco-mode can somewhat offset how winter tires and winter itself can deplete a battery.

Given the unique profile of a tire and how it impacts range, noise and wear on an EV, an EV-optimized tire has to check a lot of boxes, no matter what the season. An EV tire for winter has to do all of that, plus offer added grip to navigate slippery conditions. The Michelin X Ice Snow tire is an excellent choice for offering the right balance of durable wear, quiet and range, along with enhanced braking capacity and the extra traction needed for peace of mind in winter driving.

For climates defined by the most challenging of winter conditions with icy roads and hard-packed snow, it is sometimes beneficial to switch to studded tires in winter, including on an electric vehicle. The Michelin X ICE North 4 studded tire (available in Canada) offers the ultimate control on ice¹ with excellent winter traction. And while studded tires are among the noisiest, Michelin used a mathematical algorithm in the design of the X-Ice North 4 to optimize the noise level.

You should be aware that studded tires mean the car has to work harder, which for an electric vehicle translates to a loss in range. However, when used in heavy snow and ice, studded tires provide optimal traction over studless winter tires. Moreover, the studs minimize rubber wear, which increases durability, always an advantage with an EV. Michelin recommends winter tires, including studded tires, be used in areas where temperatures are regularly below 44°F. EV owners should also consult local regulations about any restrictions on the use of studded tires.

Whether you choose to drive with EV winter tires or use an all-season specialized tire for your electric vehicle, there are a few simple steps you can take to maintain them. Monitoring the tire pressure monthly is the most important, although you should be aware that cold temperatures deflate tire pressure slightly, so they may require extra air in winter. Keeping your EV winter tires correctly inflated and ensuring that they are properly rotated and aligned over a longer winter season will protect them against premature wear.

How you drive can also help maintain your electric vehicle tires, both winter and summer. Eco-driving, smooth acceleration and smooth braking, reduces energy consumption and is especially helpful when driving an electric car in winter when the vehicle’s instant torque can be a challenge on slippery surfaces.

Follow the same procedures to store your electric vehicle winter tires as you would summer tires. Keep them in a cool, dry, dark and ventilated place, away from sunlight and heat sources. It is also a good idea to raise them off the ground to prevent moisture build-up. When to store your winter tires depends on your local weather. Seasonal tires provide optimal grip and performance when used in their designed season. Just like you would not wear snowboots to the beach in the summer, you also don't want to drive with winter tires in warm weather, so make sure to change them out when temperatures rise above 44°F.

Choosing the best winter tires for an electric vehicle is similar to a gas-powered car. The guiding criteria is which tires will enhance vehicle traction on snow and ice. The particular traits of an EV, namely its heavier weight and instant torque, make a compelling case for switching to premium winter tires in wintery climates where concerns over safety and winter driving are paramount.

But tire choice is also always about your priorities in what you want from a tire. With an electric car, that usually centers around extended range, reduced tire noise and long wear. For winter driving, grip and safety get factored into the equation. Michelin makes both EV Ready summer and winter tires for electric vehicles that meet all these criteria, but an EV owner needs to be aware of which of these are most important to them so they can make the best tire choice regardless of the season.

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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Legal Mention

1. Based on ice breaking test (between 30 and 5 km/h) and Ice acceleration test (between 5 and 30 km/h), conducted by TEST WORLD product service, on Michelin’s request, between December 2017 and January 2018, on dimension 205/55R16 91V on Volkswagen® Golf 7 comparing MICHELIN® X-Ice® North 4 versus NOKIAN® Hakkappeliitta 9 and PIRELLI® Ice Zero competitors. Average of 3 tests conditions (-12 °C, -10 °C & -4 °C). Worn based on 10,000 km of real usage in North Finland by a third party.

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