Goodyear News
The New EU Tyre Label
10-02-2011
What is the EU tyre label?
It’s a new standardised label for tyres that will provide consumers with valuable information on three key tyre performance attributes:
· Wet grip
· Rolling resistance
· Exterior rolling noise.
The label is similar to existing energy-efficiency labels used on white goods such as fridges and washing machines.
Why is it necessary?
The aim of the new label is to better inform tyre purchasers on the safety and environmental performance of tyres. It will help them choose safer and more fuel-efficient tyres with low noise levels.
What’s so important about these three performance indicators?
Wet grip is a key indicator of the safety performance of a tyre. Rolling resistance affects a vehicle’s fuel consumption and therefore has a direct impact on the environment. The exterior noise also affects the environmental impact of tyres.
What does the cloud and rain icon mean?
This icon denotes a tyre’s grip on wet surfaces. Wet grip is a key safety element of a tyre. It has a great impact on road safety because tyres with excellent grip on wet roads have shorter braking distances on wet surfaces. This safety performance is expressed in an A to G grading scale, A being the best performance on wet roads. The EU decision makers have so far only approved the test method for measuring the wet grip performance of passenger car tyres. Test methods for light truck and for truck tyres are still under development.
What does the fuel pump icon mean?
This relates to the rolling resistance of a tyre: the lower the resistance of a tyre to roll, the less energy is dissipated and the less fuel consumed. Therefore this indicator tells tyre purchasers the fuel economy as well as the environmental-friendliness – in terms of reduced CO2 emissions – of a given tyre. The fuel-saving performance of a tyre is indicated with the same grading scheme as wet grip performance but with the addition of a full-colour pictogram on the label, which is a standardised pictogram of energy consumption used throughout the European Union. Grade A denotes the most fuel-efficient tyre in the market.
What does the speaker icon mean?
This icon indicates the external noise produced by a tyre in contact with the road. It is expressed in decibels and accompanied by one, two or three sound waves. One black wave indicates the best noise level performance. Three black waves denote the weakest noise level performance, meaning that the tyre has a noise output level above the new lower limit to be introduced from November 2012 onwards.
Is the new legislation applicable to all tyres and in all EU countries?
The new label will be applied to all new tyres, with a few exceptions. The following tyres are excluded from the labelling system: retreads, professional off-road tyres; racing tyres; studded and spare tyres; tyres for wheels under 10 inches (254 mm) diameter or over 25 inches (635 mm) diameter; tyres with speed ratings of less than 80 km/h; tyres designed to be fitted only on vehicles registered for the first time before 1 October 1990. As with any European Regulation, this rule will be binding and identical in all European Member States.
Does the label tell me everything I need to know about the performance of a tyre?
This label is a guide to tyre purchasers on tyre performance in wet grip, rolling resistance and noise levels, and therefore is just one of a number of useful tools helping consumers make informed tyre purchasing decisions. Generally speaking, consumers should search for tyres that show very high levels of performance in safety relevant areas such as wet grip and have a good environmental performance.
Will there be any government incentives to purchase the safest and most eco-friendly tyres in the market?
Currently there is no rule that binds EU Member States to provide incentives for tyre purchasers to buy the safest and most eco-friendly tyres in the market. National governments can decide whether to put incentives in place to encourage tyre purchasers to go for increased safety and environmental protection. If they do so, no incentives can be given to tyres below class C with respect to fuel efficiency and wet grip.
What’s Goodyear position on the introduction of the new EU tyre label?
Goodyear welcomes the labelling system because it is convinced the label will guide customers towards safer and more fuel-efficient tyres. The company is also confident that its tyres will perform well against its competitors, as it always takes great care in developing products that meet the highest safety and environmental standards. With the introduction of a standardised label for tyres, it becomes easier for end-users to compare brands, giving them the opportunity to make better informed purchasing decisions. Whereas the rolling resistance level will explain the economic and environmental benefits, Goodyear believes that the new label will help customers make fully-informed purchasing decisions that also address aspects which have an important impact on road safety, such a tyre’s wet performance.
How can I keep up to date with the latest developments on this label?
Goodyear will play an active role in providing the media, tyre dealers, fleet managers and consumers with information on the latest developments of the new EU tyre label.