Goodyear announces new generation of EV tires to be available this year

The popularity and increased market presence of electric vehicles has also led to changes in tire design, as the heavier vehicles with faster acceleration and other characteristics pose special engineering requirements.

In other words, you shouldn't put just any old tire on that electric car, which in just a few short years may comprise 50% of new car sales.

Akron-based Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has announced an upgrade in its ElectricDrive™ family of tires: The ElectricDrive™ 2, an all-season EV tire enhanced with sustainable materials, improved rolling resistance and long-lasting tread life, the company said in a release.

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Goodyear said its ElectricDrive™ 2 is the latest step in the company's sustainability efforts and contains at least 50% sustainable materials per tire by weight. Such materials include soybean oil in the tire’s construction, rice husk ash silica and sustainably sourced natural rubber. The company said the new design includes a long-lasting tread compound.

Electric vehicles are often significantly heavier than those powered by external combustion due to their heavy batteries. The Center for Auto Safety has raised concerns about the safety of such higher-weight vehicles, and concerns have also been raised about the durability of EV tires and an increase in toxic dust from road wear.

More: Here's why people aren't buying EVs in spite of price cuts and tax breaks.

As a practical matter, EV tires must carry heavier loads and new high load tires have been developed to carry heavier weights at the same pressures, according to Consumer Reports.

Other issues include a need for greater traction to deal with high-torque electric engines.

Goodyear also cooperated with Sandia National Laboratories to develop a quieter tire. Because engine noise from internal combustion vehicles is not present in EVs, tire noise becomes much more noticeable, leading to a requirement for quieter tires.

Goodyear said its market research shows maintaining a quiet ride and wet road performance are the top two features that EV owners look for when considering a tire and the new tires have a built-in sound barrier that helps reduce interior vehicle noise and an asymmetric tread pattern that provides good handling qualities.

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“With the continued adoption of EVs, we want to meet consumer and market needs with an updated EV replacement tire,” said David Reese, vice president of Product Development for Goodyear Americas in a release. “We know EV drivers prioritize performance and a more-sustainable tire. The ElectricDrive™ 2 was designed with at least 50% sustainable materials, a focus on providing greater traction and maintaining a quiet ride.”

This all-season tire will be available beginning in May and come in 17 sizes designed to fit EV sedans and CUVs, including the Tesla Models Y, 3 and S, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Chevy Bolt, Audi Q4 e-tron and others.

Eric Marotta can be reached at emarotta@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron-based Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. says new EV tires improved