Michelin Looking Beyond The EU Tyre Labels
The EU tyre labels that are becoming mandatory in November focus on only three aspects of tyre performance – rolling resistance (or fuel efficiency), wet braking and external noise. Clearly there are many more things to consider when you are buying new car tyres. You also need to think about dry braking, cornering and longevity, but don’t worry, tyre manufacturers (particularly Michelin) haven’t forgotten about all the other performance indicators.
While Michelin feel that the label is a good thing and very important to the tyre industry, they have no intention of solely focusing on those three criteria to the detriment of all the other aspects of tyre performance. It seems their current priorities are shorter stopping distances in all conditions, and tyre longevity. While a tyre with low rolling resistance may cost you less in fuel, if you have to change it too frequently, the benefits are negated, so tyre longevity is a crucial point in the environmental and financial impact of your tyres.
Michelin making their views clear on this matter is probably the first of all premium tyre manufacturers justifications for the higher prices. After all, they may have the same classification as mid-range or budget tyres on the EU tyre label, but it is highly likely that the premium car tyres will have been engineered to a wider range of parameters than the cheaper tyres.