Have you been shopping for new tires, you might have come across a lot of emphasis on fuel efficiency & environmental impact. Although, the rubber can’t be anything other than black the tires are turning significantly greener in attributes. Drivers are nowadays becoming more aware of low-rolling-resistance tires. They started to develop in the 1990s when automakers figured out that it’s easier to achieve the fuel economy by reducing vehicle weight & improving engine efficiency along with the aerodynamics.
Honestly, many consumers don’t even realize the tradeoffs involved in using the low resistance tires. In case your car came from the factory with low-rolling-resistance tires, it’s time to get the original-equipment tires as replacements. You can easily get these tires from the dealer whichever car tyre brands you prefer. But if you are planning to switch to low-rolling-resistance tires, here’re a few things you need to know. So let’s dive in
What is Rolling Resistance?
It’s the force necessary to the tires rolling at a given speed. Basically, the manufacturers quantify it at the very initial phase simply by rolling it against a large cylindrical drum & measuring the forces involved. The outcome is the tire’s rolling resistance coefficient.
We all know that tires change shape as they rotate. Furthermore, the portion in contact with the road deforms before returning to its relaxed state. For that deformation process, the energy required is greater than what’s needed for the tire to return it to its original shape. This entire phenomenon is called “hysteresis.” Consequently, this energy is dissipated in the form of heat, which plays an important role in rolling resistance.
Believe it or not, you’ve been through that experience of hysteresis even if you don’t own a car. How? Remember the childhood when you paddled a bicycle with an underinflated tire? That was your firsthand experience with hysteresis. In order to ride at a constant speed, you were putting in more mechanical energy into the system. In simple words, you were pedaling harder, and that’s because the underinflated tires have lots of hysteresis, creating more rolling resistance.
Resistance Wastes Fuel
Most of the energy that comes from burning fuel is used to overcome inertia & aerodynamic drag. The rolling resistance of your car tires uses up about 4% of that energy around town that further rises to 7% on the highway. So here’s a rule of thumb for you. Be mindful, the 10% decrease in rolling resistance yields a 1-2% improvement in fuel economy.
You know what! For all the automakers, the 1-2% improvement is much valuable. In fact, a little improvement in the fuel economy can go a long way towards bringing up the manufacturer’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy. For sure, it helps them avoid the costly government fines.
Summary
Do you want to learn some important stuff about the rolling resistance of the tires and why people prefer going for the low rolling resistance tires? Just check out the article now
