How To Understand the new tyre label data
In November 2012, the introduction of legislation demanding that almost all new tyres are supplied with EU-agreed Tyre Labels was what many tyre industry experts called, the most significant change to affect the sector in over half a century.
In November 2012, what many tyre industry experts called the most significant change to affect the sector in over half a century occurred. This was the introduction of legislation demanding that almost all new tyres are supplied with EU-agreed Tyre Labels.
These look like the labels which are put on electrical goods sold within the EU, but the focus is not on their energy ratings. Instead, these Tyre Labels give information about the three main categories you should consider when choosing tyres for your vehicle. These are fuel efficiency, wet grip and external rolling noise.
Fuel efficiency
The energy used when a tyre is rolling is calling 'rolling resistance', and the lower this is, the more efficient your vehicle will be, as fuel use will be reduced and so will CO2 emissions. The EU Tyre Label uses a scale of A to G, with A being the most fuel-efficient type of tyre and G being the least.
Wet grip
This refers to a tyre's ability to grip wet roads and influences the braking distance you need in wet conditions. Higher grip means lower stopping distances and an A label grading indicates a tyre with the best grip, while G suggests that this is not a particular strength.
External rolling noise
This explains the amount of external noise created by a tyre, with one black bar indicating the quietest performance and three letting you know that tyres with this rating are a noisier choice.
The label aims to give you the tyre information you need, in order to boost road safety, reduce environmental impact and allow you to make the most cost-effective and informed choice when shopping for tyres. It allows you to quickly and easily compare different types of tyres, which are all tested and classified under the same guidelines.
It also ensures that the team at Protyre has vital information to help you make the perfect tyre choice for your vehicle. This information alone does not give the full picture, however, which is why we are on-hand to share our vast experience and tyre-specific knowledge with you.
Most tyres are covered by this legislation, including car, 4x4, van and truck tyres, but current exceptions include motorbike, re-tread, vintage, studded, spare, and professional off-road or racing tyres, meaning that these don't have to feature an EU tyre label.