Heads up! Five things you need to know about the new tyre labelling

On 1 May, the new tyre labelling regulation will come into force across the European Union. According to the Spanish Directorate-General for Traffic, the aim of this change is to give consumers much more complete information on the characteristics of tyres. The sections relating to rolling resistance and braking performance on wet roads have been restructured.

With these changes, the labels are intended to be clearer and easier for users to interpret. It is worth noting that this new regulation also covers tyres for C3 vehicles, that is, commercial vehicles. The new tyre labels will include two new pictograms indicating the grip of the tyre on snow and ice and whether it has passed the snowflake test. In addition, users will be able to access extra information via a QR code that links to the EPREL database, the European product database for energy labelling.

Ana Blanco, deputy assistant director of Traffic Circulation at the Directorate-General for Traffic, has stated that tyres are “very effective in vehicle stability, in reducing braking distance and in lowering the risk of aquaplaning”. The new tyre labels are “very useful for informing the consumer about the best tyre for their vehicle. The aim is to reduce road accidents and lessen the environmental impact by minimising noise”.

Five things you need to know about the new tyre labelling

The new tyre labelling makes it mandatory to show the manufacturer’s name, as well as the complete code and model of the tyre, and also the dimensions, the load index and the speed rating. The fuel efficiency class has been reduced to five and a scale in different shades of blue has been added with five levels to indicate the level of wet grip. It also includes three icons showing the noise level, whether it is suitable for extreme conditions, and grip on ice.

More information on efficiency and grip

The new European tyre label has been improved and now includes information on energy efficiency and grip. In addition, it introduces a change of scale in the information. The efficiency classes have been reduced from seven to five. Furthermore, the scale has been simplified and now descends from A to E, replacing the previous scale that ran from A to G. A indicates that the tyres reach the highest levels of grip and efficiency, and E the lowest.

Grip on ice

One of the other new features is a new pictogram that reports grip on icy surfaces.

Grip on snow

The new labelling includes a graphic symbol that reports the grip of the product on a snowy road.

Noise levels

The new European labelling continues to report on noise pollution, but now adds the number of decibels and an A-B-C scale to make it easier to understand. A indicates that the tyre is quieter, B means moderate noise, and C indicates that it exceeds the European noise pollution limit.

More information in the QR code

The new labels now incorporate a QR code that takes the user to the European Union’s EPREL database. Here you can find all the product information, classifications and data on its manufacturing process.