Why electric car tires cost more than ordinary ones
An electric car tire costs roughly half as much again as the equivalent tire for a gasoline car, and in the UK the average replacement runs…
Guides
Plain English answers about electric vehicle and e-bike tires. Every one leads with the answer and then explains it.
Electric cars and vans
HL, XL and SL: the load rating on an EV tire
HL means High Load, XL means Extra Load and SL means Standard Load, and they describe how much weight a tire of a given size can carry. If…
What every marking on your tire sidewall means
A tire sidewall reads like 235/45 R18 98Y XL. That is a tire 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 tire means
A one or two character mark on the sidewall means the tire was developed for one car manufacturer and signed off by them. T0, T1 and T2 are…
How to read the tire label properly
There is no rolling resistance grade on a US tire. What you get is UTQG, molded into the sidewall: a treadwear number, a traction grade of…
How much range your tires are actually worth
About 10 per cent, and sometimes more. Fitting tires 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 tire ratings mean
ECE-R75 is a United Nations vehicle regulation that a tire can be certified against for use on an e-bike at up to 50 km/h. Continental…
How to read an e-bike tire size
An ETRTO size is two numbers with a dash: 50-622 is a tire 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 tire 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 tire
Three different things wear a tire brand name. A manufacturer's own brand, where Michelin make Michelin. A manufacturer's second brand,…