Here’s the question I have: is this the norm or are we just hearing from those who are complaining about it, having issues?
New tires every 7,000 miles? Electric cars save gas but tire wear shocks some Florida drivers
It was love at first sight when Neil Semel saw the electric Mercedes EQS 450+ at a Pompano Beach dealership. The sedan was the perfect sleek black color his wife wanted, had only 2,200 miles and they both liked the idea of getting away from gasoline.
“I’ve always driven combustion engines and I thought it was time to try to save the planet,” Semel said.
But after less than 5,000 miles of driving around his Boca Raton neighborhood, Semel was shocked to find some essential — and very expensive — parts were already wearing out. The tires.
“If somebody looked at me and said, Mr. Semel, you are going to love this car but in about 7,000 miles you will have to pay 1,400 or 1,500 dollars to replace the tires, I wouldn’t have bought the car,” Semel said.
Pricey!
For many drivers of EVs in Florida — the nation’s second largest market for electrical vehicles — premature tire wear has become an unexpected black mark on vehicles promoted as a green climate-friendly option to gas-gulping cars.
At EV Garage Miami, a Sweetwater repair shop that services 90 percent electric vehicles, lead technician Jonathan Sanchez said tires are the most frequent thing customers come in about — no matter what model or make of EV they’re driving. Tire mileage can vary widely of course, but he said he frequently changes EV tires at just 8,000 to 10,000 miles — a fourth or even fifth of typical tire wear on a gas-burning car.
Is this something that they are seeing more in a warmer all year round environment like Florida, or happening everywhere? Does this cover all types of EVs, or just luxuries?
There are a number of explanations for the fast wear — from the way EVs work to the composition of the rubber to individual driving habits and maintenance practices — but vehicle and tire makers and industry experts acknowledge the issue. The tire manufacturer Michelin said conventional tires on electric vehicles consume tires 20 percent faster than on a gas-powered car — a figure commonly cited by EV makers as well — but Goodyear also has said they could wear up to 50 percent faster. Automakers and the tire industry are working on improvements.
So, it’s real. To go along with all the other higher costs associated with owning an EV, which takes the gas savings and blows it away with the Everything Else costs. Perhaps not as bad as some are saying, but, certainly, replacing tires quicker is not good.
That would be good for consumers but also for the climate. To some extent, running through tires quickly may offset the reduction of damaging emissions that EVs offer. Some studies have shown that tires actually have more particle pollution than exhaust, 2,000 times as much.
“Tires are rapidly eclipsing the tailpipe as a major source of emissions from vehicles,” said Nick Molden, to the Guardian who conducted one study with Emissions Analytics.
So, actual air pollution, as well as getting in the waters and on land. Cool! Solve one “problem” by creating another.
Also, I have to wonder, do the tires get punctured more, as there is a whole lot more weight pressing down on them?
EVs are very expensive toys.
I think that the Michelin estimate of 20% faster wear is probably most accurate. How much of that extra is due to the driver might be one factor. Remember EVs have phenomenal performance. Of course tires represent only 4 % of the operating expenses of a car so an increase of 20% really only adds 1% to the total cost of operating a car.
trans.info
05.03.18
Jurczak
Fuel represents 25%. Most people say that electric power saves about 2/3s of the cost of “fuel” over gasoline. So the EV saves 16% by using electricity for power, but loses 1% in extra tire wear.
your mileage may vary
EVs are getting cheaper each month/year.
The tesla Mod Y was the 2nd highest selling passenger car sold in the USA last year. It was beaten only by a much cheaper Toyota Rav 4
Toys or not Americans choose to buy them and that seems to bother the hell out of a lot of people.
lol Teach blames Biden for forcing them down the throats of Americans.
H
Wrong. The best selling sedan was the Toyto RAV 4.
https://www.resetera.com/threads/the-25-best-selling-vehicles-in-the-u-s-for-2023-so-far.771908/
Tires represent about 4% of the operating cost of a car. Increasing that by the Michelin figure of 20% increases the total cost of owning a car by just 1%. I think that one reason for the increased wear might be the driver just enjoying the incredible power that EVs have.
Fuel costs are about 25% of cost, EVs reduce that by 2/3s or about 16%. So costs go up 15 for tires, down 16% in fuel savings. I drove a Mod X 2 years ago from Seattle to Montauk. I loved it. How many posters here have actually driven an EV?
h
No. The rapid wear is caused by the additional weight.
A good set of ICE sedan tires should go for around $600-$800 and last around 80,000 miles. An EV replacement at 8,000 miles would be $8000 for the 10 sets.
Plus the lost time waiting for the new tires to be mounted.
At every 8000 miles or so (basically yearly).
On traditional autos it’s a good practice to replace a set of tires every 5 to 7 years.
EVs are very expensive toys,
Bwaha! Lolgf
Goodyear (the first manufacturer I checked) offers the same mileage warranty 40000 miles that are put on Tesla’s as on any other car.
According to Discount Tire the Mod Y tires start at 295 with a 40000 mile warranty.
Teach us supposed to be a knowledgeable car guy. He should know about things like that
Is that a case of willful ignorance where he just doesn’t want to know facts that conflict with his political ideology?
Ummm-huh.
The answer for johnnie boy.
Bwaha! Lolgf