Five tyre brands and over 30,000 km, results from Stockholm

Michelin invited us to a very interesting presentation. A brief press release told us that in Stockholm we would see first-hand the durability results of five tyre brands , five brands put through a test that exceeded 30,000 km.

The location chosen to present this study carried out by Derka was Stockholm. The obvious question was: why this city? The answer was simple: this is where the test carried out by Derka ended, after travelling through several European countries, including ours, over a total of 10 weeks. If you want to know the results of the test, don’t miss this article, where we will also talk about the French brand’s new products.

10 weeks, 5 cars, more than 500 km a day and one destination: Stockholm

This title, more suited to announcing “The Italian Job” than a study, is a good summary of what Derka’s professionals have verified first-hand with five different tyre brands: Continental, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Pirelli and Michelin.

In total they covered 30,480 km aboard five Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI with 105 CV, fitted with 195/65 R15 tyres. In addition, throughout the study the ambient temperature, road curve index, speed, altitude above sea level and litres consumed were recorded.

The infographic that illustrates this section is worth stopping to look at and analysing each of the data points. It also shows the city they were passing through at each moment and offers interesting information about the test conditions or the speed reached (the German roads stand out).

At 18,000 km, braking tests were carried out, to check the wear of the different tyres subjected to this test. On wet pavement braking, Michelin was the best tyre, followed directly by Pirelli (only 0.1 m behind), then Bridgestone, Continental and Goodyear.

Meanwhile, in durability, the average is 9,000 km more in favour of Michelin’s Energy Saver tyre. Finally, in the fuel economy section, things are closer: Michelin still comes out as the most fuel-efficient, but with a difference of only 7 litres compared with a Continental, or 14 litres compared with Pirelli.

All the data is in the image, which you can also view at full size in the gallery to see every detail.

Michelin Energy Saver+

Taking advantage of the event, Michelin showed us its latest products on the market. One of them, and perhaps the most important, is the new Michelin Energy Saver+, which has been on the market since 1992. Over the tyre’s service life it saves close to 200 litres of fuel, 60 more than the previous Energy Saver generation, whose service life is around 45,000 km.

In addition, the fuel savings and low rolling resistance offered by the Michelin Energy Saver+ do not compromise grip, delivering very satisfactory results in braking tests, as we saw in the 30,000 km test.

Compared with the worst tyre in braking distance, the Michelin Energy Saver+ shortens braking on wet pavement by 16 metres. Looking at the new European label, the Michelin Energy Saver+ has achieved a Class B rating for fuel efficiency (on a scale from A at best to G at worst) and a Class A wet grip rating (from A to G).

Michelin Energy EV

Under this name is a very unusual tyre: it is not a typical tyre, nor will it be widely available for purchase. Instead, it is fitted as standard on the new Renault Zoe, a fully electric model.

Precisely because of the needs of an electric model, Michelin has created this tyre with characteristics designed and adapted to the needs of this type of car. It offers greater torque when pulling away or at the lower speeds that a conventional vehicle can reach.

But the main premise was to reduce interior noise, the noise that seeps into the cabin and becomes more annoying in an electric car, since its motor makes almost no sound. Another pillar of the Energy EV is pursuing the greatest possible range, that is, reducing rolling resistance while maintaining the safety and durability standards typical of the brand.

The end result is a tyre with a maximum speed rating of 160 km/h (more than enough for an electric car) that achieves 20% less rolling resistance, and also significantly reduces interior noise by up to 40%.

I should stress that for now it will only be available for the Renault Zoe, but it is a good idea to focus on such a specific market with equally specific needs. That said, it requires investment in research to adapt or create a tyre that truly delivers savings or an improvement for electric vehicles, something not all tyre brands invest in.

Michelin Agilis+

We close our review of Michelin’s new products with the Agilis+, a tyre designed for professionals, that is, for vans. Vans that spend much of their time driving with heavy loads, that endure harsher treatment than a passenger vehicle, and for which tyre safety cannot be neglected either.

While we were being introduced to this tyre, a Mercedes Sprinter appeared, hitting a kerb-style obstacle (simulating a pavement), and we were shown the Agilis+’s resilience in this kind of situation. It may seem trivial, but we must not forget that many vans endure rougher treatment, and safety should never be put on the back burner.

On the other hand, rolling resistance has also been improved, and the new Michelin Agilis+ achieve a saving of 150 litres of fuel over the service life of the tyres. At the same time, returning to safety, they stop 2 metres shorter on wet roads than a conventional tyre, two metres that in an emergency situation is a considerable distance.

Photos | Michelin