Citing local Ebay figures that show significant sales growth for tyres carrying a specific EV marking on the sidewall, Auto Bild observes that drivers of electric cars are increasingly choosing all-season tyres. At the same time, the European motoring publication questions whether these EV-specific fitments are “merely clever marketing” or a “genuinely necessary adaptation of tyres to the particular requirements of electric vehicles.” To try and answer this question, Auto Bild tested eight tyres.
Before doing so, the Auto Bild crew addressed several characteristics that are important for EV-specific tyres. Due to their heavy batteries, electric vehicles need a large volume of air in their tyres to safely support their weight. At the same time, to keep aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance at a minimum, wheel diameter must increase. Therefore a relatively narrow width in relation to rim diameter is preferred. For this reason, Auto Bild choose 215/55 R18 as its test size. The rubber compound and tyre construction must also help reduce rolling resistance in order to maximise mileage from a battery charge. However, this conflicts both with strong wet grip and with high mileage in terms of wear. Which manufacturer ultimately has the best overall concept for EV tyres?
The eight candidates in this current Auto Bild test include premium, mid-range and budget brands. Just one of the test group, the Hankook iON FlexClimate, was specifically developed for EVs. The Auto Bild test team evaluated the tyres in wet, dry and snowy conditions, as well as for wear and rolling resistance. Wet and dry testing took place at Hankook’s Technoring in Taean, South Korea and snow testing at the tyre maker’s Technotrac facility in Ivalo, Finland. Seven companies – Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Hankook, Kleber, Maxxis and Pirelli – supported Auto Bild during this test.
Wet testing
Hankook iON FlexClimate was the best wet-weather tyre overall, with a chapter score of 2+. It recorded the shortest wet braking distance among the all-season tyres and also led the wet handling and circular-track tests. Pirelli was particularly strong in aquaplaning resistance, topping both straight and cornering aquaplaning among the all-season candidates. Continental and Goodyear also delivered solid, well-balanced wet performance.
At the other end of the ranking, Maxxis and Goodtrip BlueGuard AS both received a wet score of 3. Goodtrip was slowest in wet handling and on the circular track, while Maxxis had the longest wet braking distance and weak aquaplaning results. Bridgestone was also less competitive than the leading tyres in aquaplaning.
Dry testing
Hankook again achieved the best all-season result, with a dry chapter score of 2+. It was closest to the summer tyre in dry handling and had the second-shortest dry braking distance, narrowly behind Pirelli. Bridgestone, Continental and Goodyear also performed well in dry conditions, while Bridgestone was especially strong in braking and handling.
Goodtrip was the weakest tyre on dry roads, with a chapter score of 3+, posting the slowest handling result and one of the longest braking distances. Maxxis was also less convincing in dry handling, although its braking result was better than those of Continental, Goodyear and Goodtrip.
Snow testing
The strongest snow performers were Continental AllSeasonContact 2, Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3 and Kleber Quadraxer SUV, which all received a chapter score of 1-. Pirelli led the traction, handling and slalom tests, while Continental and Kleber shared the second-shortest braking distance, behind the reference winter tyre. Goodyear and Hankook were also competitive, while Goodtrip produced a surprisingly respectable snow result.
Maxxis Premitra All Season AP3 was the weakest all-season tyre on snow, particularly in handling, traction and slalom. The summer reference tyre was undriveable in the snow handling and slalom tests.
Cost-related disciplines
Hankook won the cost category with a score of 1-, combining the test’s highest projected mileage of 54,560 kilometres with a competitive price-per-kilometre result. Bridgestone was the rolling-resistance leader and offered the lowest cost per 1,000 kilometres, while Pirelli also recorded very low rolling resistance.
Goodtrip performed worst in the cost assessment, receiving 4+. Although it was the cheapest tyre to buy, it had the shortest projected lifespan, at 26,420 kilometres, making it poor value overall. Maxxis also scored poorly on costs due to high wear and the highest price-per-kilometre figure.
A win for Hankook
Auto Bild testers Dierk Möller and Martin Westerhoff declared the Hankook iON FlexClimate – the only tested tyre model explicitly intended for electric cars – their winner. “Remarkably, it still led the wet category despite achieving the highest mileage of all candidates,” the testers noted. This result suggests that EV-specific tyres are indeed more than just clever marketing.
For drivers who are primarily interested in snow performance, Möller and Westerhoff advised them to consider the Continental or Pirelli tyres.
The mileage test delivered an interesting result. The test-winning Hankook tyre lasted twice as long as the Goodtrip candidate – but the price of buying a set was less than half the amount needed to acquire two sets of Goodtrip tyres. The testers commented that “a low-cost tyre such as the Goodtrip is not genuinely inexpensive.”
How the tyres fared:
Rated exemplary
Test winner: Hankook iON FlexClimate
+ The test winner strikes the golden mean in all road conditions and delivers the best mileage.
– Slightly weaker on snow; high purchase price.
Continental AllSeasonContact 2
+ A winter specialist that also offers very high safety reserves across all other test categories.
– Slightly weaker in dry handling and braking.
Rated good
Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3
+ A snow specialist with the highest traction, excellent aquaplaning performance and low rolling resistance.
– Somewhat weaker in wet and dry handling.
Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3
+ An established all-rounder with balanced driving characteristics throughout the year and high mileage.
– Slightly longer braking distances on dry roads.
Kleber Quadraxer SUV
+ A snow specialist with high mileage, good aquaplaning reserves and a relatively low purchase price.
– Weaker in wet and dry handling.
Bridgestone Turanza All Season 6
+ The energy-saving champion, with the lowest rolling resistance and high safety reserves in dry conditions.
– Overall, somewhat weaker in snow and wet conditions.
Rated satisfactory
Maxxis Premitra All Season AP3
+ A budget tyre with still-good performance on dry roads and no serious safety shortcomings.
– Vague handling on snow and increased wear.
Conditionally recommendable
Goodtrip BlueGuard AS
+ A low-cost product with a surprisingly strong performance on snow and the lowest purchase price.
– Weak dry and wet handling, and excessive wear.
