Yesterday, the automobile revolutionized the world. Today, the automobile is being revolutionized. In less than ten years, every second vehicle will be electric. E-vehicles are playing an increasingly important role in the passenger car segment. Low emissions, low operating costs and low noise levels are only a few of the many reasons why the e-mobility trend is becoming increasingly popular. But what does this revolution mean for our tires? Compared to a conventional car, the tire of an e-car is exposed to much heavier loads and must meet complex demands.
Due to limited battery capacities, e-vehicles still struggle with a shorter range compared to conventional combustion engines. This is where your tires come into play. The lower the rolling resistance, the lower the energy consumption – for both combustion engines and e-cars. This way, you can gain additional range while simultaneously increasing sustainability.
In electric vehicles, engine noises are barely present. Although the low volume is pleasant when driving, it also has a side effect. All the other noises are perceived much more intensively. This includes the rolling noise of the tires, especially when traveling at higher speeds. Therefore, e-car drivers attach great importance to quiet tires.
Electric cars are heavier than conventional cars, mainly due to the batteries, the reinforced framework and the metal armor around the batteries. In addition, e-cars have instant torque because the electric transmission works much faster than it does in conventional cars. The higher load and torque of an electric vehicle can increase tire wear! For this reason, the tires of an e-car must be particularly robust.
We believe in tailor-made products for every e-vehicle type
The differences between conventional cars and e-cars are considerable. But the differences between e-cars also demand different solutions. The e-vehicle segment is highly diverse and presents complex requirements for tires. That's why we don't just offer one single tire line for all e-vehicles, regardless of how big, heavy or fast they are. Instead, we rely on our existing tire series, which already take into account the different characteristics of the various vehicles, and make them EV-compatible. This way we find the best fit for you.
Cutting-edge technologies – based on 150 years of experience
How do we actually manage to make our tires fit for the new requirements of e-mobility and ensure robustness, efficiency and quietness? The answer lies in our experience and expertise. For more than one and a half centuries, our experts at Continental have been working with the most prominent manufacturers on future-oriented and sustainable solutions. That's why our technologies are at the forefront when it comes to e-mobility. The result speaks for itself: We offer the right tire for every e-vehicle.
The battery in e-vehicles requires a lot of space. Therefore, the vehicles do not have any room left for a spare wheel, which could be mounted in the event of a flat tire. Therefore, e-vehicle drivers need tires with maximum safety. ContiSeal™ technology was designed to self-seal damaged tire treads, eliminating the need for a replacement tire.
In e-vehicles, engine noise is extremely low. This has a side effect: all other sounds, including tire noise, become much more noticeable. ContiSilent™ uses a unique foam layer that reduces the noise peak by up to 9dB.
Cutting rolling resistance increases a vehicle’s electric range. At Continental, we optimize rolling resistance for all our tires. At the same time, we improve the braking performance leading to higher road safety. For example, some sizes of the latest EcoContact 6 tires are even 15% better than the best EU Label Class A.
The new EV-marking guarantees that the tire is optimized for the needs of an EV. Starting with the introduction of the Continental PremiumContact 7 all future Continental tires will be equipped with the Continental EV-marking on the sidewall!