Are Low Rolling Resistance Tires Worth a Shot?

If you are planning to buy new tires, you must have noticed an emphasis on the environmental impact and efficiency. Although the rubber is still black, the tires have started to become greener, and many drivers have been aware of the low rolling resistance tires in recent years.

These tires have been able to gain a significant amount of popularity over the past few years; many people ask the question 'are low rolling resistance tires worth it?'

So if the tires offer fuel efficiency, then there is a possibility that you have to give up the wet traction performance, as it is never easy to understand which of these “green” tires are best for your vehicle.

What are the low rolling resistance tires?

These tires are known to help improve efficiency through saving energy that requires less rolling effort. This helps to minimize friction, so less energy is expended, and the vehicle consumes less fuel.

The primary sources of rolling resistance are the nature of the rubber that might be sticky and thick, internal plies stretching, and constant bending.

The vehicle manufacturers have emphasized fuel economy in the last few years, so the vehicle manufacturers work with the tires companies to develop low rolling resistance tires.

These tires are mostly found on hybrid vehicles, but many non-hybrid vehicles are using these as well.

Improving performance by reducing resistance

Having said all that, are low rolling resistance tires worth it? It is worth noting that these tires help lower fuel costs by increasing fuel economy. There was a time when people complained about the quality of these tires. In order to improve the performance, the tire manufacturers have added a sand-like compound and silica in these tires. Silica is helpful in improving grip, and this indeed makes a much better road handling.

Those who opt for these tires are able to see the results when they replace the treads with the same depth, which happens quite rarely.

Usually, people replace the worn tires with new ones, and these tires always have a much higher rolling resistance as compared to the bald tires that have no tread.

Can you save money with the low rolling resistance tires?

Although these tires might be a little costly, many experts believe that you can gain a few miles per gallon by having a 10% reduction in rolling resistance.

This may obviously not sound like too much, but when this is added up for some time, then the savings are undoubtedly helpful to make up for the high purchase price of the tire.

Identifying the low rolling resistance tires is never easy; therefore, it is better that you get the assistance of a professional in order to buy the right tire that is according to your requirements.

The best option for you is to replace the original tires that come with the vehicle, as these tires are specifically matched for maximizing the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

Bottom Line

With the rising fuel costs, all tire manufacturers are looking at different ways to improve fuel economy, even the ones that were once concerned only with the tread life.

If you are wondering, 'are low rolling resistance tires worth it?' the answer is simple: a low rolling resistance tire offers you many benefits, including fuel economy, reduced energy loss, decrease in rolling effort, and money savings.