Bridgestone is solving longevity issues.
There is no single most crucial component of a car. However, one of your vehicle's most intensely engineered and relentlessly tested parts is where the rubber meets the road. The tires are the final component of the car that determines how it grips under acceleration, braking, and steering. On top of that, it has to consistently grip in all sorts of weather conditions for tens of thousands of miles before wearing out.
Tires have a massive effect on a car, yet it's often glossed over. Bridgestone recently released the latest version of the Turanza tire, designed specifically for EVs.
CarBuzz was invited to drive in an electric vehicle equipped with the new tire.
Tire makers have started designing and manufacturing tires specifically for EVs to help increase range. That's where the most anxiety lies with all-electric vehicles, so automakers want to eke out every last mile.
Tires can help by reducing rolling resistance, defined as the energy that the vehicle needs to send to its tires to maintain movement at a consistent speed over a surface. Less rolling resistance means less energy to keep the car moving and is best done without increasing tire pressure. However, Bridgestone has identified a couple of other things that make for an excellent EV tire.
Because electric vehicles inherently suffer less noise and vibration, it's easier to hear tire noise. According to Bridgestone, however, EV drivers' most common complaint about tires is how fast they wear out.
Currently, the average tire on an EV lasts around 30% less than its equivalent on a gas-powered car. To address these problems, Bridgestone has developed what it describes as two technologies; one called QuitTrack to address noise and PeakLife, which centers around a new rubber compound designed to retain the tire's performance with added longevity.
The problem with reviewing tires is that it's a complicated affair that requires controlled conditions. In addition to controlled conditions, you also need several rival tires so that they can be experienced on the same surface, on the same day, and in the same weather conditions.
What you're getting here are impressions from a short road trip in a Tesla Model 3 equipped with the tires.
However, it was enough to tell us that the Turanza EV tire is impressively quiet, and even with the Tesla's instant and hefty amount of torque, the grip is there. As for longevity, the jury is still out.
So, Bridgestone's new tires are quieter and seemingly longer lasting, and it claims they perform to standard as an all-weather tire compared with equivalent touring tires. The natural question is, “What would happen if you put them on a regular road car?” We pitched that question and were told that there was no downside whatsoever. Naturally, we then asked, “Why market them only to EVs then?”
The answer to that is a matter of marketing and the fact that EVs have pushed these tires into existence. Getting the mass market to adopt these tires as standard will also take time.
However, Bridgestone says the technology will make its way into all its regular road tires. That makes sense, as the new polymer appears to do everything well, and longer-lasting tires that perform as well as any other tire are a win for motorists.
Bridgestone is putting its tire forward as a replacement for original equipment (OE) tires. The brand is, of course, talking to automakers about making them OE tires where appropriate. However, making said deals is more challenging than it sounds. Bridgestone cited Tesla, in particular, as being incredibly fussy about the parameters it wants for its OE tires.
Currently, the Turanza EV tire is available in five sizes, primarily targeting the sizes used for the most common premium EVs. Bridgestone will launch an additional 15 sizes in 2024. On top of all the longevity and performance standards baked into the tire, it's also pushing Bridgestone's ecologically friendly agenda forward by using 50% renewable and recyclable materials.
However, they are not cheap tires. The Turanza EV tire MSRP starts at $315.99 and goes as high as $367.99, depending on size. It's also worth noting that they come with a 50,000-mile limited warranty, while the less expensive Turanza Quiettrack has an 80,000-mile warranty.
Keyword: Driven: Bridgestone's New Turanza EV Tire Is A Win For Everyone