Will performance tyres on my EV cause problems?
QUESTION
Hello John,
Finally got to your 13 December 2020 article on putting fat Michelin performance tyres on the Hyundai Kona EV.
An excellent idea. It certainly piqued my interest, because the standard-fit Nexen eco tyres on our Kona EV are the car’s biggest let-down.
They’re fine for everyday driving in the ‘burbs, but they can be downright scary in the wet. With 395Nm of torque available from 0rpm, it’s quite easy to ‘chirp' the front tyres in the dry. In the wet, you really need to concentrate hard not to - especially when accelerating out of a slow corner.
So putting Michelins on the Kona makes a lot of sense to me, despite the cost and extra road-noise.
Three questions before making the switch:
The Michelins you used are wider than the Nexens - 225mm vs. 215mm. In your experience, can this result in any tyre rubbing in the wheel wells? Or perhaps a wider turning circle?
The Michelins have a lower profile than the Nexens - 112.50mm vs. 118.25mm, or 5.75mm lower. This means that the overall height of the performance tyres is lower by twice that, or 11.50mm. Would this difference have any significant effect on the speedometer and odometer readings?
Any ideas on how much range we could lose due to the extra rolling resistance of the Michelins?
Regards,
Peter
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ANSWER
Hey Peter,
The Michelins completely change the dynamic character of the Kona EV - well worth doing.
Nothing rubs the wheel wells, even in extreme driving situations. If there is an impact on turning circle, it’s minimal (I haven’t measured it either way, but I notice no difference).
215/55 R 17 circumference = 2063mm
225/50 R 17 circumference = 2100mm
Difference = 1.8%
On the basis of this, I’d be saying there’s no significant impact on speedometer or odometer accuracy. (Or gearing.)
Also, I’m unable to detect any meaningful impact on range. Tyre industry says LRR tyres typically save 1-4 per cent (distance per unit of liquid fuel).
Hope this helps mate.
JC
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