New Eco Labelling for Tyres
As of November 2012, your car’s tyres will join the ranks of household appliances and be required to carry an eco-label showing their impact on the environment.
The labels provide information on each tyre’s performance, fuel efficiency, noise and safety. Primarily a ‘green measure’, the labelling is also a way to ensure drivers are aware of the condition and safety of their tyres and replace/repair them when necessary.
The new tyre labels looks a lot like the stickers you might find on your fridge or washing machine, with three colour-coded or letter-coded ratings:
Fuel Efficiency: This is measured as rolling resistance, and allotted a rating from A to G. It shows the amount of energy required to keep the tyre rolling – low-emission cars often have tyres with low rolling resistance to increase fuel efficiency. Each grade is separated by a difference of 2.5 – 4.5%.
Noise: Measured in decibels, this denotes the external noise created by the tyre. The more black bars on the label, the noiser the tyre.
Wet Braking: This shows the stopping distance in wet conditions at 50mph, and is the safety element of the overall rating. The difference between each rating is a stopping distance between one and two car lengths (or 3-6 metres).
There have been questions raised over the balance of putting these ratings together, since raising one performance area can detrimentally affect another, notably fuel efficiency (economy) versus grip (safety). Therefore it’s important to weigh up the ratings you find on such labels with an overall view of the tyre. A spokesman for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) explains:
“Currently there’s no guidance at all on tyres, so some guidance is useful, but it doesn’t give all the information buyers need. I don’t think it’s a case of a little information is a dangerous thing, because people already know that buying a premium tyre means they’ll be getting a better performance tyre than a budget tyre. The SMMT is looking forward to the labelling because it will help lower vehicle emissions, but safety is a key focus for us. The labelling is a step forward.”
There are other aspects to consider when choosing new tyres, such as general braking performance, durability, stability, precision, handling and resistance to aquaplaning.
Tim Bailey, head of safety at Continental Tyres adds: “Car manufacturers require the very highest standard across all these performance factors before they approve tyres for their new vehicles, so sticking to the original tyre make and product your car was supplied with is a good idea. Furthermore, widely published magazine tyre tests take at least 11 relevant performance factors into account and therefore should continue to be an excellent source of independent information regarding the total performance of a tyre.”
A good rule of thumb for the best-performing tyres is to look for two A-ratings in fuel efficiency and wet braking. The lower the number and the fewer black marks in the noise level rating denote a quieter tyre.
For more advice about tyre ratings, performance and to buy cheap tyres, visit www.grippy.co.uk!