Goodyear has officially joined the fray in offering a performance tire designed specifically for battery-electric vehicles. This is the latest addition to a growing selection of tires designed for EVs and promises long-lasting tread wear and a quiet ride according to Goodyear. The Goodyear ElectricDrive GT joins the Michelin Pilot Sport EV as another performance EV tire option on the market. Several tire makers have made efficiency-focused tires to maximize driving range but it’s only recently that performance-enhancing options have started becoming available.
“Products that anticipate the mobility needs of consumers are central to Goodyear’s focus on innovation excellence,” said David Reese, Vice President of Product Development at Goodyear Americas. “Electric vehicles present a very specific set of requirements for load, torque, noise, range, rolling resistance, and overall performance.” The Goodyear ElectricDrive GT uses the company’s SoundComfort Technology that acts as built-in sound deadening to reduce road noise. It also features an asymmetrical tread pattern and special tread compound to enhance traction for all weather conditions to improve handling in the dry and wet.
Andrew Lau, Product Marketing Manager at Goodyear Americas, said that the company recognized the continued growth in the EV segment. As a result, it saw an opportunity to design a tire specifically for these vehicles. “We know drivers are looking for a replacement tire that delivers enhanced treadwear without sacrificing performance,” added Lau. “The ElectricDrive GT was designed with that in mind, and we’re thrilled to bring this option to the market for EV drivers in the U.S.”
Tires like the ElectricDrive GT are a sign that suppliers are now answering the need to support the electrification movement. These have been tailored to handle the weight of EVs and their instant power delivery. Additionally, they’ve been optimized to have low rolling resistance that way it doesn’t cut the vehicle’s driving range. Goodyear engineered this tire to offer high levels of traction while maintaining good efficiency levels.
Most mainstream EVs on the market already use specially developed efficiency-focused tires with low rolling resistance. The Volkswagen ID. 4, for example, comes standard with Hankook tires designed specifically for maximizing the range and performance of a family-friendly electric crossover.
Lucid’s Air flagship luxury sedan gets is among the first to get a performance-oriented EV tire in the form of the Michelin Pilot Sport EV. That tire, like the Goodyear ElectricDrive GT, blends low rolling resistance with high grip levels. It was developed using knowledge gained from supplying tires for the last six seasons of Formula E. The tire also promises lower noise levels and a range improvement of up to 37 miles.
High-performance EVs like the Porsche Taycan, Ford Mustang Mach-E GT, and Audi e-tron GT use performance tires like the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S and Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric, and Pirelli P Zero. These tires were developed initially for internal combustion performance cars, and many have been adopted to accommodate EVs and their additional weight; however, they still sacrifice some driving range in favor of grip and performance since they have a lot of rolling resistance.
The Goodyear ElectricDrive GT will be sold initially in one size: 255/45R19 XL. In 2022, more sizes will be offered as part of Goodyear’s expanded tire portfolio. Goodyear will sell the tire through goodyear.com and says it’s ideal for use in high-performance EVs despite not being a full-on summer tire. Expect more tire companies to jump into the EV-specific tire bandwagon as automakers continue to release more battery-electric models.
