Michelin has announced its new Pilot Sport EV tire, specially designed to meet the needs of sporty electric cars. The rubber is designed to handle the heavier weight and weight distribution characteristics of an electric vehicle while offering better wear resistance in response to the high torque and acceleration forces.
The new tire was developed with knowledge from over six years in Formula E and contains the company’s ElectricGrip Compound technology with a hard compound for the middle tread. This is the component that makes the tire more wear-resistant, says Michelin. The sidewalls have the same velvet finish markings and patterns found on Michelin’s Formula E tires.
The Pilot Sport EV is apparently 20% quieter too, thanks to Michelin-protected acoustic technology. The rolling resistance is also lower and can extend the range by up to 60 km (compared to a Pilot Sport 4 SUV mounted on a 2,151 kg electric vehicle).
Michelin is currently the only original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for the electric sports car tire market. The range currently comprises 16 sizes (11 original sizes, 5 replacement sizes) from 18 to 22 inches. The new tire is already being sold in China and will be available for vehicles in Europe and North America from the third quarter of 2021.