Mar

7

Energy Efficient Tires Save Money and CO2 Emissions

March 7, 2010 | Leave a Comment


Author: Greg Roy

Article:
By now everyone knows that you can save fuel and minimize tire
wear by keeping them properly inflated and rotating them
regularly. But to make the next big leap in fuel efficiency,
drivers can take advantage of next-generation energy efficient
tires being rolled out by several industry leaders including
Michelin, Goodyear, Continental and Toyo.

How much can you save?

Goodyear advertises their Assurance FuelMax tires will provide
up to 4 percent more fuel efficiency than standard tires. This
could very well be a conservative estimate when you consider a
story on iStockAnalyst’s website. It chronicled how economy
driving champions, Helen and John Taylor, squeezed out an
additional 9 miles per gallon just by switching to a set of
Goodyear Assurance FuelMax tires.

Recent manufacturer’s tests have also shown that Michelin’s
Energy Saver A/S tires offer a whopping 8 percent better fuel
efficiency than competing tires. When you do the math, this
translates to a savings of about a hundred dollars at the pump
every year. (More if fuel prices continue to rise above
$2.50/gal.) After the first year, the fuel savings should more
than offset the slightly higher initial price of these advanced
tires.

Handling

In the past, tire builders could decrease rolling resistance and
improve fuel efficiency by increasing the mix of silica in their
rubber compounds. But the more they improved economy, the more
performance and even tire life decreased. More silica makes a
tire harder and less flexible which decreases traction and
cornering ability. But thanks to new advanced formulations,
silica distribution strategies, and break-thru tread designs
(some engineered from the molecular level-up), these new tires
save fuel without sacrificing tire wear, all-weather traction
and most importantly, safety. In fact, some of these new tires
like the Michelin Energy Saver A/S have actually improved
stopping distance — by as much as 8 feet over standard tires,
and decreased tire wear – resulting in an additional 16,000
miles of useable life over their standard tires.

A Greener Tire

Increasing fuel efficiency means that these tires also reduce
harmful CO2 emissions. A typical car spews over 14,000 pounds of
CO2 during the course of a year. Michelin estimates that
installing a set of their Energy Saver A/S tires reduces CO2
emissions as much as 2,000 pounds per year — or about the same
as planting 40 trees! When was the last time you could cut your
carbon footprint without sacrificing performance or safety, and
save money at the same time?

Consult a Professional

Most major tire retailers and chains should now have energy
saving tires in stock. Also they will have the training,
experience and computerized tools to help you quickly determine
the best brand, size and style of tire for your vehicle, driving
style…and your budget. Keep in mind, to achieve maximum
performance and avoid uneven tire wear, you will need to replace
all 4 tires at the same time, especially on all-wheel and
four-wheel drive vehicles.

Also be sure to ask if they have nitrogen inflation. Nitrogen
helps maintain proper tire pressure (psi) longer and with less
fluctuation in tire pressure due to temperature changes. After
all, fuel saving tires can’t save much fuel (or last as long as
they should) if they are under inflated.

About the author:
To read the article on iStockAnalyst.com please visit: http://www.istockanalyst.com/ Belle Tire is
working even harder to bring you the best tire price period!
Learn how you can get Out-The-Door with more value, services and
protection http://www.BelleTire.com




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