Tyre Labelling
Under the new labelling regulation, all tyres produced after July 2012 and one sale in the EU from November 2012 will need to be accompanied by label at point of sale providing information on wet grip, fuel efficiency and exterior rolling noise. Tyre manufacturers will also have to make this information available to customers through technical promotional material and their websites.
The tyre label will apply to car and sports utility vehicle (SUV) tyres, van tyres and truck tyres but not to re-treaded tyres, off-road professional tyres, tyres only fitted to cars registered for the first time before 1 October 1990, T-type temporary-use spare tyres and certain other specialist tyres.
For more information see EU Regulation (1222/2009) on the labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency and other essential parameters.
Rolling Resistance (Fuel Efficiency)
Fuel efficiency will be rated on a sliding scale from A to G, with A being the best performers and G being the worst. The difference between each grade means a reduction or increase in fuel consumption of between 2.5%-4.5%.
Wet Grip (Safety Performance)
Wet grip will be measured on a scale from A to G. The difference between each grade means an increase or decrease in stopping distance of between one to two car lengths (3-6 metres) when braking at speeds of 50mph.
Noise (Exterior Noise Emissions)
External noise will be measured in decibels split into 3 categories represented by black sound waves. One sound wave will demonstrate that the tyre is 3dB less than the future tighter European limit. Two black sound waves will demonstrate that the tyre is already compliant with the future European limit and three black sound waves will demonstrate that the tyre is compliant only with the current European limit.
Type Approval Standards for Tyres
A separate legislation will set new minimum requirements on rolling resistance, noise and wet grip for all tyres on sale in the UK.
Rolling resistance
Mandatory reductions in rolling resistance will be introduced in November 2012, with further reductions introduced in November 2016. Tyre manufacturers and retailers have been given time to adjust to the new rules and entire market implementation is not expected until 2020 (see table below)
Rolling Resistance:
The maximum values for the rolling resistance coefficient for each tyre type, measured in accordance with ISO 28580, shall not exceed the following:
| Tyre Category | Max value (kg/tonne) 1st stage (November 2012) | Entire market implementation | Max value (kg/tonne) 1st stage (November 2016) | Entire market implementation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 – Passenger cars | 12 | Nov 2014 | 10.5 | Nov 2018 |
| C2 – Vans and light trucks | 10.5 | Nov 2014 | 9 | Nov 2018 |
| C3 – Trucks and Buses | 8.0 | Nov 2016 | 6.5 | Nov 2020 |
For snow tyres the limits shall be increased by 1kg/tonne.
Noise
Tyres will also have to be quieter, with new standards introduced in 2012 and entire market implementation expected by 2016. (see tables below)
Noise - car tyres
For passenger car tyres, with reference to the nominal section width of the tyre that has been tested:
| Tyre Class | Nominal section width (mm) | Limit Values in dB(A) |
|---|---|---|
| C1A | ≤ 185 | 70 |
| C1B | > 185 ≤ 215 | 71 |
| C1C | > 215 ≤ 245 | 71 |
| C1D | > 245 ≤ 275 | 72 |
| C1E | > 275 | 74 |
For tyres classified as snow tyre, extra load tyre and reinforced tyre, or any combination of these classifications, the above limits shall be increased by 1 dB(A).
Noise - van, truck and bus tyres
For van, truck and bus tyres, with reference to the category of use of the range of tyres:
| Tyre Class | Nominal section width (mm) | Limit values in dB(A) |
|---|---|---|
| C2 – Vans | Normal | 72 |
| Traction tyres | 73 | |
| C3 – Trucks and buses | Normal | 73 |
| Traction tyres | 75 |
For special use tyres, the above limits shall be increased by 2 dB(A). An additional 2 dB(A) is allowed for snow tyres in the C2 traction tyre category. For all other categories of C2 and C3 tyres, an additional 1 dB(A) is allowed for snow tyres.
Wet grip
Car tyres will have to achieve minimum levels of wet grip performance. (see table below)
Wet Grip
| Category of use | Wet grip index (G) |
|---|---|
| snow tyre with a speed symbol (“Q” or below minus “H”) indicating a maximum permissible speed not greater than 160 km/h | ≥ 0.9 |
| snow tyre with a speed symbol (“R” and above, plus “H”) indicating a maximum permissible speed greater than 160 km/h | ≥ 1.0 |
| normal (road type) tyre | ≥ 1.1 |
For more information see EU Regulation (661/2009) on type-approval requirements for the general safety of motor vehicles and tyres.
