A car without tyres, it doesn't drive. A car without well-filled tyres does not drive as it should. So it is essential to keep the correct inflation pressure to stick to. But did you know that tyre pressure is even more important with electric cars? Here's what you need to know about it.
Why tyre pressure plays an important role
If you own a car, it is important to keep the tyre pressure at the right level. This ensures that the car's handling remains tip-top and you don't use more fuel than necessary. This is once again true for electric cars.
Indeed, because of the high weight and range, tyre pressure plays a much bigger role in electric cars. The lower the tyre pressure, the more this will limit the range. This is because it creates more friction and resistance.
This is how you make sure your tyre pressure is maintained
Car and tyre manufacturers recommend checking your car's tyre pressure regularly. Once every fortnight or every month. More often is fine, especially if you are going into summer or winter. Temperature affects tyre pressure. You can monitor your car's tyre pressure manually, but fortunately many electric cars have technology that does this for you.
If the tyre pressure gets too low, you will get a notification and you can refill air. Make sure you maintain the correct tyre pressure; less pressure is needed on your own than when driving a fully loaded car. You can find the required tyre pressure in the doorpost or instruction booklet.
Rolling resistance
A tyre with too little pressure offers more rolling resistance than one with the right pressure. If you have an electric car, for example from Polestar, you want tyres that offer as little rolling resistance as possible. After all, coasting is an important way of recovering energy to maximise your range. The better you can roll out, the further you can drive your electric car.
Due to the increasing popularity of electric cars tyre manufacturers are busy developing special tyres for EVs. These types of tyres have lower rolling resistance than tyres for petrol or diesel cars. It is therefore advisable to equip your electric car with the appropriate footwear.
More weight = longer braking distance
Electric cars are actually always heavier than petrol or diesel cars because of the battery pack. And not by much either; it is easily 20 to 25 per cent more weight, or a few hundred extra kilograms. More weight means a longer braking distance, but also more pressure on the tyres. An electric car therefore needs strong, sturdy tyres. Pay particular attention to tyre pressure if you plan to tow a trailer or caravan, as this plays into the towing weight of an electric car.
Tyre wear high
In a petrol or diesel car, the engine's power releases linearly. You first have to make a few thousand revs to unlock the full power. In an electric car, when you press the accelerator, you instantly access the full power. This provides more tyre wear. The same also happens when braking; because of regenerative braking, there is less of a roll-out moment as we know in traditional cars.
Pay attention to tyre pressure
Clearly, more is expected of the tyres found under electric cars. They must be able to handle the heavy weight of an EV and bring things to a halt as quickly as possible.
Grip and traction must be good, as well as water drainage. And of course, due to a lack of engine noise, the tyres should also make less noise. By maintaining the right tyre pressure, you can already optimise the driving experience and create the safest possible car ride.
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