Get ready for the tyre labelling revolution.

Transcription

1 et ready for the tyre labelling revolution. What does tyre labelling mean for you? hiqonline.co.uk

2 lways read the label. Tyre manufacturers testing and grading. Never underestimate the importance of reading labels. Not only are they there to help prevent unfortunate laundry mishaps, culinary catastrophes and fashion faux pas, labels are an invaluable tool in helping you make an informed decision. Hardly surprising then, that a new EU tyre label is being introduced in 2012 to help you make an informed decision when buying tyres. Rolling resistance drum testing Wet braking vehicle test ISO noise test When does tyre labelling come into effect? Skid trailer test ISO pass-by noise test The legislation comes into force 1st November 2012, however many tyre manufacturers will implement the labels earlier. How are they rated? The new tyre label bears more than a passing resemblance to the energy labels on white goods and uses the same to grading. marks the highest performing and the least. What do they cover? Fuel efficiency Wet grip External rolling noise Why is tyre labelling being brought in? Increase road safety Help make driving cost-effective rolling resistance. Rolling resistance is measured by mounting the passenger car tyre on a two-metre drum and running it with a defined load and pressure. To rotate the drum without a tyre, a certain torque needs to be applied. The moment the tyre comes into contact with the drum, the torque required to rotate the drum needs to be increased. wet grip. Wet grip can be tested in one of two ways. The first is the wet braking vehicle test, which measures wet braking performance on a wet road surfaces. The second test is a skid trailer test, which measures friction between the road and a tyre. The end result of both tests provides a Wet rip Index. noise emission. The new tyre label noise ranking is based on an ISO pass-by noise test, where noise is measured as a car passes by two microphones that are positioned 7.5m from the centre line at a height of 1.2m. Reduce the environmental impact caused by tyres What tyres does it apply to? The labels will apply to car, 4x4, SUV, van and truck tyres. Tyres not affected include racing tyres, professional off-road tyres, spare tyres, vintage car tyres, retreaded tyres and motorcycle tyres.

3 the anatomy of the tyre label. Bertie HiQ Tyre Expert Fuel efficiency. rolling resistance. Wet grip. braking performance. Noise emission. exterior noise. rolling tyre deforms and dissipates energy. The energy that s lost is known as rolling resistance and directly impacts on fuel consumption and the environment. Tyres with excellent wet grip have shorter braking distances on slippery roads, essential for keeping you safe in the rain. tyre s exterior noise grading is expressed in decibels (db) and accompanied by one, two or three sound waves on the label. One wave is the best performance, three is the worst. _ D Low to higher fuel consumption. Not used. These ratings are measured from the distance travelled by a car after braking at 50mph in the wet.* _ Short to longer braking distance in wet conditions. D + Not used. There is a 7.5% fuel difference between an and rated tyre. +6 litres This could mean: +1 wave = +3dB + double the noise 18m Choosing rated rolling resistance tyres over rated could save a significant amount of fuel. +2 waves = +6dB + four times the noise * according to regulation EC1222/2009. The tyre label will provide customers with information that is: Objective Reliable Comparable 20% of a car s fuel consumption is influenced by its tyres. The difference between and is 18 metres. That s four car lengths or eight smart cars. The quieter the tyre the more environmentally friendly it is.

4 not the full story. What s not covered? The full story TYre experts start where others stop. While we re completely in favour of the introduction of tyre labelling, it s essential to remember that it doesn t tell customers everything they need to know. So while it s a great starting point for customers to get information that is comparable, reliable and objective, it s by no means exhaustive. fter all, tyres are more than simply black and round; they re a complex piece of engineering. It s therefore important to look at the bigger picture. The EU tyre label only specifies 3 criteria. Magazine independent surveys specify 15. oodyear Dunlop analyses over 50. = The Full Story WET NOISE ECONOMY s you can see from the above, the tyre label legislation only tests 3 criteria, magazines test 15 criteria, however tyre manufacturers like oodyear Dunlop test over 50 performance criteria in order to produce premium tyres. DRY SNOW ICE WER vibrate / comfort Tyre labelling only covers fuel efficiency, wet grip and exterior noise. Key criteria such as aquaplaning resistance, dry handling, dry braking and high-speed stability are not covered. Winter conditions are not taken into consideration. Performance tyre criteria like dry handling are not covered by the legislation. That s where you come in as the tyre expert, informing customers of the bigger picture. oodyear Dunlop Performance Criteria EU Tyre Label Criteria WET HNDLIN YES NO WET BRKIN YES YES QUPLNIN IN CURVES YES NO QUPLNIN IN STRIHTS YES NO DRY HNDLIN YES NO DRY BRKIN YES NO HIH SPEED STBILITY YES NO HEVY HNDLIN YES NO TRCTION YES NO ROLLIN RESISTNCE YES YES MILEE YES NO INTERNL NOISE YES NO EXTERNL NOISE YES YES HNDLIN ON SNOW ND ICE YES NO BRKIN ON SNOW ND ICE YES NO Just a sample of the 50 parameters in a typical oodyear Dunlop car tyre test.

5 FQs. Q. When will tyre labelling come into effect?. The legislation comes into force on the 1st November few handy FQs for you. Q. Is the new legislation applicable in all European countries?. The legislation will be binding and identical in all European Member States. Q. Will I personally have any legal obligations under this legislation?. Other than driving within the normal legal requirements, you have no obligations yourself. Those responsible for ensuring legal obligations are met are the tyre manufacturers, tyre retailers and vehicle suppliers and manufacturers. Q. Does the label tell me everything I need to know about the tyre? No, the label only covers fuel efficiency, wet grip and exterior noise. To put this into perspective, oodyear test more than 50 parameters. Therefore the label should be viewed as just one tool to help you to make an informed decision. Q. What tyres will the labels appear on?. The mandatory tyre labelling information will apply to car, sports utility vehicle, van and truck tyres. Q. How will the tyre label help me buy tyres? The introduction of the new tyre label will allow you to make a more informed tyre purchase by giving you information which is: Objective Reliable Comparative To keep up with the latest developments visit us at hiqonline.co.uk