Tyre labelling to come into force in 2012
Discussion
Why has the EU introduced a new Tyre Label?
In order to provide standardised information on fuel efficiency, wet grip and external rolling noise, the European Union is to introduce a compulsory label for all new tyres. By November 2012 all relevant new tyres sold in Europe must carry this EU label.
The label is intended to give end-users some essential information to help them when choosing new tyres.
Rolling resistance (Fuel Efficiency)
Fuel efficiency is important to reduce both CO2 emissions and the cost of driving. The grades are A to G, with D not being used. The difference between each grade means a reduction or increase in fuel consumption of between 2.5%-4.5%. That's a difference of about 0.42-0.56 mpg for a 36 mpg car per grade.
Wet Grip (Braking Performance)
Wet grip is a critical safety feature and relates to the tyres ability to stop a vehicle quickly on wet roads and can be expressed in terms of stopping distance. The grades are A to G, with D and G not being used. The difference between each grade means an increase or decresase in stopping distance of between one to two car lengths (between 3 and 6 metres) when braking from 50mph.
Noise (Exterior Noise Emission)
This is the external noise made by the tyre and is measured in decibels.
The more black bars shown on the label, the louder the tyre.
But what will it mean for you?
To some, the world of tyres is a complicated and confusing one. But with the new EU tyre labelling system, you'll enjoy a standardised view of fuel efficiency, wet grip performance and external rolling noise. By 2012, this will be compulsory across the industry for all new tyres in Europe. We welcome this change as it gives you, the consumer, the power to make a more informed decision about your tyres. The labels will be great at helping you choose the right tyre for you. And with the additional advice of your local tyre experts at HiQ, you'll end up with a tyre that fits your needs perfectly.
The basics
Generally speaking the new Tyre Label will apply to:
Car and SUV tyres.
Van tyres.
Truck tyres.
The Tyre Label will NOT apply to:
Non road-legal tyres, for example racing tyres.
Re-tread tyres.
Spare tyres.
Vintage car tyres.
Who's responsible for what?
The tyre manufacturer:
Every tyre must display the EU Tyre Label in the form of a sticker.
They must also provide you with the Tyre Label values in lots of different communication formats.
Tyre retailers (that's us):
We must provide you with the Tyre Label values on or with the tyre invoice.
The Tyre Label itself must be clearly visible you by the tyre or actively shown to you.
Car Manufacturer:
If you buy a new car, the Tyre Label values must be made available at the point initial purchase of the car, but only when the customer has the choice of more than one tyre.
EU-Commission:
They will be responsible for detailed information about contents and design of the label.
Each EU member state is to organise monitoring and impose penalties when the Tyre Labelling system has not been enforced.
Let's introduce you to the label itself:
Clear and informative, they resemble existing energy efficiency labels with A being the highest performing and G currently the lowest. What's more, all tyres will carry the same label to make comparing different models quick and easy.
Reading the label. what does it all mean?
Fuel efficiency
Fuel efficiency is important to help you reduce both CO2 emissions and the cost of driving. Essentially the higher up the scale the tyre is, the less fuel your car will need to drive it forward, saving you money. And here's the little science bit for you: the difference between each category means a reduction or increase in fuel consumption of between 0.42 and 0.56 mpg for a 36 mpg car.
Wet grip
The grip your tyres have in the wet is a critical safety feature and relates to the tyre's ability to stop a vehicle quickly on wet roads. It's displayed in terms of stopping distance (how far the car travels before it's at a complete stop). The difference in each category shown means a stopping distance of between one and two car lengths (between 3 and 6 metres) when braking from 50mph.
The difference between categories A and F is more than 18 metres stopping distance. A very long way when you really need to stop.
Noise
Quite simply, this is the external noise made by the tyre and is measured in decibels. The more black bars shown on the label, the louder the tyres.
In order to provide standardised information on fuel efficiency, wet grip and external rolling noise, the European Union is to introduce a compulsory label for all new tyres. By November 2012 all relevant new tyres sold in Europe must carry this EU label.
The label is intended to give end-users some essential information to help them when choosing new tyres.
Rolling resistance (Fuel Efficiency)
Fuel efficiency is important to reduce both CO2 emissions and the cost of driving. The grades are A to G, with D not being used. The difference between each grade means a reduction or increase in fuel consumption of between 2.5%-4.5%. That's a difference of about 0.42-0.56 mpg for a 36 mpg car per grade.
Wet Grip (Braking Performance)
Wet grip is a critical safety feature and relates to the tyres ability to stop a vehicle quickly on wet roads and can be expressed in terms of stopping distance. The grades are A to G, with D and G not being used. The difference between each grade means an increase or decresase in stopping distance of between one to two car lengths (between 3 and 6 metres) when braking from 50mph.
Noise (Exterior Noise Emission)
This is the external noise made by the tyre and is measured in decibels.
The more black bars shown on the label, the louder the tyre.
- ###############################
But what will it mean for you?
To some, the world of tyres is a complicated and confusing one. But with the new EU tyre labelling system, you'll enjoy a standardised view of fuel efficiency, wet grip performance and external rolling noise. By 2012, this will be compulsory across the industry for all new tyres in Europe. We welcome this change as it gives you, the consumer, the power to make a more informed decision about your tyres. The labels will be great at helping you choose the right tyre for you. And with the additional advice of your local tyre experts at HiQ, you'll end up with a tyre that fits your needs perfectly.
The basics
Generally speaking the new Tyre Label will apply to:
Car and SUV tyres.
Van tyres.
Truck tyres.
The Tyre Label will NOT apply to:
Non road-legal tyres, for example racing tyres.
Re-tread tyres.
Spare tyres.
Vintage car tyres.
Who's responsible for what?
The tyre manufacturer:
Every tyre must display the EU Tyre Label in the form of a sticker.
They must also provide you with the Tyre Label values in lots of different communication formats.
Tyre retailers (that's us):
We must provide you with the Tyre Label values on or with the tyre invoice.
The Tyre Label itself must be clearly visible you by the tyre or actively shown to you.
Car Manufacturer:
If you buy a new car, the Tyre Label values must be made available at the point initial purchase of the car, but only when the customer has the choice of more than one tyre.
EU-Commission:
They will be responsible for detailed information about contents and design of the label.
Each EU member state is to organise monitoring and impose penalties when the Tyre Labelling system has not been enforced.
Let's introduce you to the label itself:
Clear and informative, they resemble existing energy efficiency labels with A being the highest performing and G currently the lowest. What's more, all tyres will carry the same label to make comparing different models quick and easy.
Reading the label. what does it all mean?
Fuel efficiency
Fuel efficiency is important to help you reduce both CO2 emissions and the cost of driving. Essentially the higher up the scale the tyre is, the less fuel your car will need to drive it forward, saving you money. And here's the little science bit for you: the difference between each category means a reduction or increase in fuel consumption of between 0.42 and 0.56 mpg for a 36 mpg car.
Wet grip
The grip your tyres have in the wet is a critical safety feature and relates to the tyre's ability to stop a vehicle quickly on wet roads. It's displayed in terms of stopping distance (how far the car travels before it's at a complete stop). The difference in each category shown means a stopping distance of between one and two car lengths (between 3 and 6 metres) when braking from 50mph.
The difference between categories A and F is more than 18 metres stopping distance. A very long way when you really need to stop.
Noise
Quite simply, this is the external noise made by the tyre and is measured in decibels. The more black bars shown on the label, the louder the tyres.
StottyZr said:
Seems useful to me. Interesting to see how much difference tyres make to your fuel consumption!
To that point I've just had a very practical lesson in this - Potenza 050s on a Prius which was OE'd with Michelin Energy Savers loses c5mpg...we're having words with the Lease Company.
My concern is this.
Average Joe goes into a tyre shop, sees a premium tyre for £100 with a BB rating, and a budget for £50 which is so hard is actually scores A in rolling resistance but an F in wet performance.
Is Average Joe going to pay extra to use more fuel, or just convince themselves they'll drive a little slower in the wet and enjoy an upfront, and on going price saving...
Tyre labelling is meant to highlight the poor quality of ditch finders, I can't help but worry it's actually going to make them /more/ attractive to the average punter.
jon- said:
Given they still haven't set the exact criteria for the wet testing, it's going to be a monumental effort to get it ready for the end of 2012.
One interesting fact is as things stand today, the technology doesn't exist to get a double A tyre.
One interesting fact is as things stand today, the technology doesn't exist to get a double A tyre.
All done with the best intentions, but when you get down to the nitty gritty, it's the usual farce.Aiui from reading the details of the tests as decided so far, wet testing is done as a comparison to a reference tyre, but there's no details of what the reference tyre will be. Nor do I recall any details of just how wet "wet" is, or standardisation of the road surface the test is being conducted on.
Until these little details are sorted, the sticker is little more than colourful decoration.
jon- said:
Tyre labelling is meant to highlight the poor quality of ditch finders, I can't help but worry it's actually going to make them /more/ attractive to the average punter.
Couldn't agree more. Edited by jagnet on Friday 18th November 09:32
300bhp/ton said:
Byard said:
The grades are A to G, with D and G not being used.
Is it me, or am I missing something here... 
Probably the same people who did the brake fluid gradings. 2, 3, 4, ok, oh we've got something completely different and incompatible, ok we'll call that 5. Oh and here's a new one which is like 2,3 and 4 but completely unlike 5. Let's call it, oh I dunno, 5.1. That won't possibly confuse anyone.
Re - rolling resistance. Why would you want a low-friction tyre? The whole point of a tyre is to provide friction between it an the road surface.
As the entire A-G range only covers about 3mpg from best to worst, it would be far more environmentally friendly to teach people how to drive economically.
As the entire A-G range only covers about 3mpg from best to worst, it would be far more environmentally friendly to teach people how to drive economically.
garycat said:
Re - rolling resistance. Why would you want a low-friction tyre? The whole point of a tyre is to provide friction between it an the road surface.
As the entire A-G range only covers about 3mpg from best to worst, it would be far more environmentally friendly to teach people how to drive economically.
The sad thing is, does the average man in the street even realise this. I doubt they've even given it any consideration. To most it seems, the tyres stop the car dragging on the ground, make the ride a bit more comfortable because they're squidgy, and are an unnecessary expense come MOT time because the carcass is showing.As the entire A-G range only covers about 3mpg from best to worst, it would be far more environmentally friendly to teach people how to drive economically.
garycat said:
Re - rolling resistance. Why would you want a low-friction tyre? The whole point of a tyre is to provide friction between it an the road surface.
Rolling resistance and grip are not the same thing or even particularly closely related. It's mostly tread blocks moving around that create rolling resistance and that is not necessary for grip. Seems like quite a good idea to me. More information is rarely a bad thing.
kambites said:
Rolling resistance and grip are not the same thing or even particularly closely related. It's mostly tread blocks moving around that create rolling resistance and that is not necessary for grip.
Seems like quite a good idea to me. More information is rarely a bad thing.
But mis-information and information many don't understand arguably is though.Seems like quite a good idea to me. More information is rarely a bad thing.
kambites said:
garycat said:
Re - rolling resistance. Why would you want a low-friction tyre? The whole point of a tyre is to provide friction between it an the road surface.
Rolling resistance and grip are not the same thing or even particularly closely related. It's mostly tread blocks moving around that create rolling resistance and that is not necessary for grip. Seems like quite a good idea to me. More information is rarely a bad thing.
I simply don't need a tyre that's fitted as OE on a 370Z FFS (at least not on a Prius
)kambites said:
garycat said:
Re - rolling resistance. Why would you want a low-friction tyre? The whole point of a tyre is to provide friction between it an the road surface.
Rolling resistance and grip are not the same thing or even particularly closely related. It's mostly tread blocks moving around that create rolling resistance and that is not necessary for grip. Seems like quite a good idea to me. More information is rarely a bad thing.
The demo the tyre manufactures like to use is 2 balls of rubber. One, light and springy, feels soft and grippy like you'd expect a race tyre to feel, the other more dense, harder, like you'd expect a budget tyre to feel.
Drop them both from the same height, the softer of the two balls bounces and the harder one almost stops dead. In this example they're showing the softer of the two balls would have a lower / better rolling resistance as it absorbs less of the energy as it comes into contact with the surface.
Not that we want cars bouncing down the road.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff