Why electric car tyres cost more than ordinary ones
An electric car tyre costs roughly half as much again as the equivalent tyre for a petrol car, and in the UK the average replacement runs…
Guides
Plain English answers about electric vehicle and e-bike tyres. Every one leads with the answer and then explains it.
Electric cars and vans
HL, XL and SL: the load rating on an EV tyre
HL means High Load, XL means Extra Load and SL means Standard Load, and they describe how much weight a tyre of a given size can carry. If…
What every marking on your tyre sidewall means
A tyre sidewall reads like 235/45 R18 98Y XL. That is a tyre 235mm wide, with a sidewall 45 per cent of that width tall, of radial…
T0, T1, MO-E: what a maker's mark on a tyre means
A one or two character mark on the sidewall means the tyre was developed for one car manufacturer and signed off by them. T0, T1 and T2 are…
How to read the tyre label properly
A tyre label in Great Britain grades three things: fuel efficiency from A to G, wet grip from A to G, and external noise in decibels. Great…
How much range your tyres are actually worth
About 10 per cent, and sometimes more. Fitting tyres that were not designed for an electric car typically costs around a tenth of the…
Electric bikes
ECE-R75, E-25 and E-50: what the e-bike tyre ratings mean
ECE-R75 is a United Nations vehicle regulation that a tyre can be certified against for use on an e-bike at up to 50 km/h. Continental…
How to read an e-bike tyre size
An ETRTO size is two numbers with a dash: 50-622 is a tyre 50mm wide on a rim with a 622mm bead seat diameter. It is the only unambiguous…
Puncture protection on an e-bike, and what it costs you
Puncture protection on a bicycle tyre is a belt of rubber or fabric under the tread, and more of it means fewer punctures, more weight and…
Whichever you ride
Who actually makes your tyre
Three different things wear a tyre brand name. A manufacturer's own brand, where Michelin make Michelin. A manufacturer's second brand,…