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EV Owners: Is Tire Noise a Problem?
Solution: More plastic. Great
Since I don't own an EV, I can't tell if this is a real problem, or something cooked up by manufacturers. Apparently, EVs are so quiet that the noise of the tires becomes, according to these companies, bothersome. "[EV tire] noise can be perceived as significantly more intrusive and unpleasant compared to combustion vehicles," writes German multinational company Henkel.
Apparently tire manufacturers "have heard the call," according to Michelin, and thus EV tires are now formulated to be quieter. How? By adding plastic, of course. The company uses a "custom-designed polyurethane foam ring inside the tire, which reduces vibrations caused by the road and in turn, lowers interior cabin noise by as much as 20%," according to a test they did on a 2020 Tesla. "The foam ring basically muffles noise resonance so that the driver and passengers can more easily use hand-free communication devices or stay alert with less driver fatigue on longer drives."
Meanwhile Henkel has collaborated with 4Jet, a surface processing company, on "a groundbreaking process for producing silent tires designed for electric vehicles." The companies have worked out a more efficient way to line the inside of the tires with polyurethane foam. (For some reason this makes me think of injecting cheese into pizza crusts.) "These so-called 'Silent Tires' significantly reduce noise emissions both inside the vehicle and in the surrounding environment, ensuring a considerably improved driving experience."
EV owners among you, is tire noise a thing? On press drives I've clocked a few days behind the wheel of an EV and didn't notice anything, but that doesn't compare to the day-in, day-out commute some of you folks are pulling.
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Comments
I'll second Sam's thoughts.
Our Tesla 3 2020 makes virtually no sound save wind and tires. And because this noise is isolated, you notice it. And over time I've found myself increasingly wanting to mute the noise. (My partner couldn't care less, but she's less bothered by many things š)
So I've opted for the quietest summer tires I could find (Continental UltraContact NXT), which incidentally are the most sustainable, too, in that they're 65% recycled materials, yet are hard-wearing and have excellent performance.
They still can't compare to our winter tires, though - come November when we switch, it's like slipping on a pair of hush puppies, and everything goes quiet!
In short, tires make a huge difference in noise levels - in our EV at least.
Driving an EV (MachE) for the last three years. I wouldnāt say that tire noise is a āproblemā but you do notice it more. I can tell the difference between my summer and winter tires from sound alone. My previous vehicles were all fairly loud (either for being performance-y or just old) and tire noise was just something I never thought about. With the quieter car, the differences between tires stands out more.
I have a Kia Niro EV and it's fine. The drive is quiter than other cars I've owned, and while tire noise is present, I've never thought "wow this tire noise is obnoxious!".
For fun, try stopping on a (safe) spot in a longish tunnel through a mountain with low traffic and wait for the next vehicle. You never knew how much noise tires make, from dead silent to 90dB.
6 metric tons of tire dust annually. Letās add plastic! Pollution is the solution.
I drive a big old diesel (Audi A6) the engine noise is not a problem, neither are the tyres. Its the bloody wind noise from the wing mirrors that is annoying!!!!
I did recently learn that tires pulverize when we use them, becoming air and ground pollutants, and that electric cars wear tires out faster due to their weight. Maybe the bigger issue is what tires are made out of, not the noise.
Noise is wasted energy so reducing it is a good thing. Not unique to EVs, although Teslas are so poorly made that maybe it is more of a thing for them?
Henkel don't make any claim to increase the vehicle's range per charge, so we can assume that these polyurethane rings convert the wasted noise energy into heat energy, which is then lost to the environment.