Rolling Resistance / Fuel rating
The grades range from A to G, informing you about the relative fuel efficiency performance level. A is the highest performance tyre in its category; G is currently the least performing.
Noise rating
The noise rating is a number given in decibels ie 72db.
There is also a 3 black wave system.
1. Quiet 3dB or more below the European limit, 67 – 71dB
2. Moderate between the European limit and 3dB below
3. Noisy and above the European limit, 72 – 76dB
Wet weather grip rating
The grades range from A to G, informing you about the relative wet grip performance level. A is the highest performance tyre in its category; F is currently used to represent the least performing.
Winter tyre
This snowflake icon indicates that the tyre is is designed for all conditions and is designed to withstand and perform in harsh conditions.
Summer tyre
This sun icon indicates that the tyre will not perform as well in winter conditions.
Car tyre
This car icon indicates that the tyre is suitable for cars and SUV’s, not commercial vehicles or vans.
Commercial tyre
This ‘C’ icon indicates that the tyre is suitable for commercial vehicles and vans.
Run flat tyre
This icon means you’re looking at a run flat tyre, meaning if you do suffer a total pressure loss due to a puncture you can continue driving and a reduced speed.
FAQs
No – passenger car tyres, light commercial vehicle tyres and heavy commercial vehicle tyres are the only tyre categories to be included in the new regulations.
The following tyre segments are excluded:
- Retread tyres
- Professional Off Road tyres
- Racing tyres
- Spare tyres
- Tyres with a speed rating less than 50 mph EU Tyre Label: FAQ
The EU aims to significantly improve the efficiency of road transport – specifically the safety, economic and ecological factors. This will be achieved through the promotion of efficient, safe tyres.
On a consumer basis, these labels will mean that customers are able to make more informed decisions when buying new tyres.
Tyre labelling provides motorists with comparative information on the performance of tyres in three key categories. As each tyre is judged, evaluated and scored using the same process – so you can easily compare different makes and models of tyre.
No – passenger car tyres, light commercial vehicle tyres and heavy commercial vehicle tyres are the only tyre categories to be included in the new regulations.
The following categories are excluded:
retread tyres, professional off road tyres, racing tyres, spare tyres and tyres with a speed rating less than 50 mph.
No. No extra information will be added to a tyre’s sidewall.
Since June 2012, tyre manufacturers have been required to provide data in relation to the performance of their tyres through testing.
Due to the sheer vast number of tyre models, it was decided that a centralised EU tyre testing facility would be unmanageable and unproductive. Therefore, tyre label testing is self-certified using specific EU standardised methods that every test must adhere to.
Testing Rolling Resistance
A tyre is mounted to a specially designed two-metre drum. It is then rotated with a defined load and pressure.
The test engineers have the torque required to rotate the drum before the tyre is fitted, so they are able to calculate the torque of the tyre by subtracting the new level required when the tyre is mounted against the level when it is not.
It is through calculating the difference of the drum’s torque with or without the tyre that they can record what is known as the ‘Rolling Resistance Coefficient’. This is what is used to work out the correct grading for the new tyre label.
Testing Wet Grip
There are two tests that engineers are required to carry out to come up with the wet grip rating.
First of all they need to carry out a wet braking test. This measures the performance of a tyre when a vehicle is braking on a wet surface. The distance that the car travels when slowing from 50mph to 12mph is recorded.
They also carry out what is known as a skid trailer test. This calculates the friction between the tyre and the road surface. For the tests to be valid, it must take place when the vehicle is travelling at 40mph.
Once they have both results, they combine them to create the Wet Grip Index (WGI) – this shows the percentage of improved ability compared with an independent reference tyre.
Testing Noise Emission
This test is done to find out the external noise of a tyre in decibels (dB).
The actual test consists of a microphone being set up on the edge of a track to measure the sound level of a test vehicle – the microphone is required to be 7.5m from the centre of the track at sit at 1.2m above the ground. When passing, the vehicle must be travelling at 50 mph with the engine turned off for the test to be valid.