EU Tyre Labelling Regulation

Wet Grip

The most important role of a tyre is to provide safety - in all conditions. Wet adherence or grip is one of the most important performance characteristics. However, higher adherence and lower rolling resistance are often contradictory objectives that have traditionally required a performance trade-off. Thanks to the new labelling regulation, customers will be able to see and choose for themselves their preferred performances. The label will display a range of 7 grades where tyres with an "A" provide the highest levels of wet grip and "G" the lowest.

Fuel Efficiency

One of the forces influencing the fuel efficiency of a motorised vehicle is the Rolling Resistance of the tyres. This phenomenon exists because a tyre deforms when rotating, resulting in energy losses in the form of heat. The higher the deformation, the higher the tyre rolling resistance, and consequently the more fuel required to move the vehicle forward. In other words, lower rolling resistance means lower fuel consumption and therefore lower vehicle emissions, including CO2. The new label will display different grades in "rolling resistance" where A is the most "fuel efficient" and G the worst in class. The black arrow (in this case B) next to the grading indicates the performance level of the product.

Exterior Noise

Traffic noise is a relevant environmental issue, determined by:
Traffic intensity and vehicle types
Driving style
Tyre-Road interaction

Exterior noise levels are split into 3 categories and measured in decibel (dB) in comparison with the new European tyre exterior noise levels to be introduced until 2016:

1 black sound wave = 3 dB less than the future tighter European limit.

2 black sound waves = already compliant with the future European limit.

3 black sound waves = compliant with the current European limit.