Are Fuel Efficient Tires Really Worth It?

"Efficiency" is the term that has captured most modern industries in recent years. Many factories and industrial branches are looking for and implementing solutions to promote efficiency, be it energetic, productive, or any other type that could optimize all kinds of resources.

The car manufacturing industry is not an exception to this rule. The goal of this industry to become more efficient brings us impressively compact vehicles that run on engines providing more horsepower than we could have imagined a few decades ago. Those small engines and turbochargers are designed not only to increase the performance and power of the vehicle but also to meet several efficiency purposes as well.

If we compare a modern vehicle with one from 20 years ago, we will notice at least 2 major differences. It is about more significant dynamics and more horsepower potential relative to more efficient fuel consumption. However, car manufacturers are not the only ones who want to make vehicles more efficient from a fuel-burning perspective. Tire manufacturers do the same.

Most tire brands align with the global goal of efficiency. This implies major changes in production processes and materials to significantly reduce the impact of tires on the environment. In this sense, tire brands place an increased emphasis on the "fuel-efficient tires" term, which we will address today in detail.

What interests me is whether they really contribute to the efficiency of fuel consumption, as the manufacturers claim. Also, I am curious to find out if an older vehicle would consume less fuel than usual if I install fuel-efficient tires. Last but not least, I want to clarify if this "fuel-efficient tire" trend is just fancy marketing, or is it really an innovation that every driver must consider.

What Are Fuel-Efficient Tires?

Fuel-efficient, or energy-efficient tires seem to have all the necessary attributes to reduce, as much as possible, the vehicle's fuel consumption while driving. You are probably wondering what the connection is between tires and vehicle fuel consumption and how manufacturers can optimize tires so that they generate less fuel burning. Well, actually there is a big connection. And I will explain it step by step for better perspectives.

The fuel consumption of the vehicle depends on several factors. These include the engine, the type of fuel used, and the efficiency with which the engine's output is transmitted to the wheels. An additional element to this equation is the vehicle's tires. They also contribute more or less to general consumption through their rolling resistance.

What Is Tire Rolling Resistance?

Think about the effort that the vehicle must exert to propel the tires on the road. The respective effort involves counteracting various forces such as tire weight, wind resistance, body pressure on the tires, etc... So, depending on these criteria, the vehicle consumes more or less fuel. All the forces and all the energy that contribute to the tire rolling process on the road are known under the general term of tire rolling resistance.

Now, if we're still talking about efficiency, the most energy-efficient tires are those that provide as little rolling resistance as possible. I mean, the lower the resistance, the more fuel-efficient the tire is, is that clear? Good.

So, what do tire manufacturers do to design tires that provide lower rolling resistance? To meet the efficiency goals of vehicles, tire makers are also looking for solutions to reduce the impact of tires on fuel. For this, they optimize the materials in tires to make them lighter. Less weight, lower resistance.

Also, they optimize the tire tread design so that the air microcirculation does not oppose the resistance. Less wind circulation, lower resistance.

Last but not least, tire makers make some changes in the tread width and depth. All this is meant to reduce the squirm amount at the contact patch, which should consequently reduce the amount of energy lost in the form of heat.

Having said that, fuel-efficient tires are expected to bring a complementary advantage to modern fuel-efficient vehicles, at least in theory. However, this does not mean that energy-saving tires can only be installed on new vehicles. With the same success, they can be equipped on relatively older vehicles. Theoretically, these should optimize fuel consumption, according to manufacturers and specialists in the field.

This is exactly what I did to test the theory. I put a set of fuel-efficient tires on my 2013 turbocharged Lexus IS. Did it help me save some bucks on fuel? I will explain myself a little later.

How Are Fuel-Efficient Tires Different From The Others?

Tire makers often highlight the fact that their tires are fuel-efficient, especially the newest ones. Some drivers might think that these tires are designed for certain cars, such as electric vehicles. However, fuel-efficient tires do not differ much from regular ones and are compatible with any vehicle, newer or older.

Their longevity does not differ much from conventional tires. Their service life does not depend on whether they are energy-efficient or not. Fuel-efficient tires can also be touring or UHP, just like regular ones. Their performance differs according to purpose, just as a UHP tire differs from a touring one. While the UHP tire is more grippy, tenacious, and vigorous, the touring one is more refined and oriented toward comfort. So, in many aspects, an energy-efficient tire is not dramatically different from a conventional one. So what makes them different then?

The devil is hidden in details, as the quote says. The difference between the 2 is the way they process energy. Conventional tires do not have sufficient attributes to control the energy consumed while in motion. Tire makers design them focusing on their primary goal. If the tire is meant to provide off-road traction, manufacturers will design it with aggressive tread patterns to provide that traction.

In the case of LRR (low rolling resistance) tires though, tire makers will think about how to create the geometry of the tire in such a way that it deforms as little as possible to optimize rolling resistance while providing enough traction. Also, they will take into account the maximum optimization of the rubber. This implies the use of special components that reduce the energy absorbed by the tire while in motion.

In a word, tire makers think strategically about every detail in the tire when designing it with a low rolling resistance. The beautiful part of things is that the effect is beneficial not only from the perspective of fuel consumption but also from the perspective of environmental protection. Low-rolling resistance tires turn out to be more friendly to the environment.

What Difference Did I Feel with Fuel-Efficient Tires?

Ever since I got my Lexus IS, I've always fitted it with traditional tires. The only exception is the last set of low-rolling resistant tires that I wanted to test to understand the difference in the real world. During the 6 months of testing, I felt a difference of about 3,5% in fuel efficiency compared to regular tires. Is it a lot or a little? It's up to you to decide. But what I want to say is that these tires brought me a series of complementary benefits in addition to fuel efficiency.

What I want to note is that the LRR tires seemed quieter and more comfortable than the traditional ones. It seems that it takes energy to produce noise and given the fact that my LRR tires are energy-saving, my driving is a bit quieter than with other tires. By the way, it's about the Michelin Energy Saver A/S tires, for the record.

On the other hand, I must say I felt less grip than with regular tires. So, the grip was more of a disadvantage for me. Initially, I thought that the grip is an individual attribute for each tire and it does not depend much on whether it is fuel-efficient or not. However, it turns out that lower rolling resistance indeed impacts grip and this is confirmed by Michelin in its explanation on LRR tires.

Obviously, tire makers do their best to find the golden mean between enough grip and enough rolling resistance for the tire to stay fuel-efficient. However, it seems that one attribute still needs to be sacrificed in favor of the other. As with any tire, fuel-efficient tires are not perfect and have their own tradeoffs. The one I felt was the slightly reduced grip, especially in curves and maneuvers at high speed.

Do Fuel-Efficient Tires Make A Difference?

I think that the 3,5% fuel efficiency I reached with my LRR tires may vary for other drivers. Efficiency may be lower or higher depending on the vehicle, the road and weather conditions, and the vehicle's engine. So, I wouldn't dare to promise that everyone who switches now to fuel-efficient tires will have the same MPG economy.

In any case, many drivers consider the 3.0- 3.5% fuel efficiency a poor result. "Why should I give up grip for a fuel economy of only 3.5%?"- some might think. But, I look at things from another perspective.

First of all, the 3% economy only targets half a year of testing. If you do the math, you will come to the conclusion that in the long term, the economy is, in fact, much higher.

Secondly, let's not forget that the lower the rolling resistance, the less CO2 emissions. Now, imagine that all vehicles start emitting at least 3.5% less CO2 globally. I think this is where the biggest difference comes. So, the 3.5% fuel economy might not be a substantial advantage per individual, but more per global collective.

What Makes a Tire Fuel-Efficient?

It might be shocking to discover that after installing energy-saving tires, your MPG doesn't change much. How is that even possible, considering the manufacturers' promises to save fuel?

Well, it IS possible because not only the tires are responsible for the fuel efficiency of your vehicle. So, the fact that you install a set of LRR tires still does not guarantee that you will pump fuel much less often. Why is that?

Just because many other factors contribute to the de facto reduction of fuel consumption. Your driving habits, tire size, and tire pressure are some of them. Many drivers ignore these criteria, blaming LLR tires for not being as fuel-efficient as they expected. But is the problem with the tires if the driver is the one who is used to driving on underinflated tires?!

Driving Habits

Regardless of the type of tires you choose, your driving habits will determine your final fuel consumption range. More than that, a set of regular tires might turn more fuel-efficient than a set of LRR ones just depending on how you usually drive.

This is exactly what I experienced when I switched from regular tires to fuel-efficient ones. Being sure of the advantage of low rolling resistance, I started to squeeze the full potential from my new tires. It didn't take long before I understood that I wasn't benefiting from any efficiency just because I was pushing too hard on my tires. Once I returned to the judicious driving style I was used to with my previous tires, I started to feel that the vehicle was burning less fuel.

So, the number one aspect to remember: energy-saving tires DO provide fuel efficiency whenever driving within the limits of the tires' potential. LRR tires do not guarantee reduced fuel consumption in the context of aggressive, sharp, and reckless driving.

Tire Pressure

If you are a frequent visitor of this blog, you probably noticed that tire pressure is often mentioned as one of the most important vehicle maintenance criteria. The air level in the tire determines its performance, the way it brakes, and the amount of energy it loses. It is not surprising that an LRR tire provides zero fuel economy in the context where the driver does not ensure a suitable level of pressure.

The point is that a tire with less pressure loses its optimal shape. Better said, its edges fall on the road increasing its contact surface. At the same time, the vehicle exerts more effort to propel more rubber forward, which goes against the principle of low rolling resistance. On the contrary, the rolling resistance increases, which leads to an increase in fuel consumption.

As such, tire makers can make tires as fuel-efficient as possible. However, the efforts can be equal to zero whenever the driver decides that underinflation is more advantageous for him for certain reasons. Hope you got my sarcastic tone and more than that, I really hope you understand how important proper tire pressure is.

As in the case of driving style, a deflated LRR tire can be less efficient than a properly inflated regular tire. How does that sound to you?! What I'm trying to say here is that while LLR tires promise to be fuel efficient in theory, in practice a lot depends on the car owner and his driving culture.

Does Higher Tire Pressure Get Better Gas Mileage?

Now, be honest: have you thought for even a second that if underinflation is bad, then overinflation is good for fuel efficiency? Well, you're partially right, to a certain extent. Unlike underinflated tires, the rolling resistance of overinflated tires is indeed lower. So, the fuel economy probability of LRR tires in an overinflated state is indeed higher. But is it a reasonable way to go?

No, it's not. I talked in more detail about what's wrong with overinflation in tires in one of the previous articles. You'd better take a quick look. In short, overinflation might be slightly beneficial for fuel economy. But at the same time, it is very detrimental to the integrity of the tire. Overinflation leads to early wear. So while you think you are saving on fuel, you actually speed up the process of wearing them out, which means that you will need new tires sooner than you expect.

Bottom Line

From my own experience, I can say that fuel-efficient tires really help to optimize fuel consumption. Maybe the result might not be as high as the manufacturer's promise, but for sure the result is beneficial.

We must understand that the theory differs from the practical conditions in which we drive day by day. So, it is normal for MPG efficiency to differ from one driver to another. Fuel-efficient tires indeed achieve better results in terms of MPG, but they do not work on their own.

Maximum fuel efficiency can only be obtained if the driver contributes through additional actions. Here I mainly refer to maintaining the right pressure and adopting a healthy driving style. In such conditions, the efficiency of energy-saving tires is much more likely.

Personally, I see more advantages in fuel-efficient tires than disadvantages. These seem to me to be quieter and slightly more comfortable. I would like them to provide more grip. Don't get me wrong though. These do grip well to the road, yet not with the same stickiness as regular ones do.

But in the end, this shortcoming is compensated by the reduced impact on the environment. So, fuel-efficient tires are a good option for environmental and saving reasons, at least for me. I would like to hear your opinion and experience, in case you managed to test a set of fuel-efficient tires.

Fuel-Efficient Tires: FAQs

Which Fuel-Efficient Tires Are Among The Best-Rated?

Some of the popular fuel-efficient tires include but aren't limited to:

The one I personally tested is the Michelin Energy Saver A/S model. Highly satisfied with it. The rest of the models can be found in most tire review listings as being among the most optimal products from the fuel efficiency perspective.

Do Low Rolling Resistance Tires Wear Faster?

To reduce their rolling resistance, tire manufacturers must change the structure and formula of fuel-efficient tires. The price to pay for the low rolling resistance is, in most cases, faster wear than with regular tires. So, you should expect an LRR tire to have a lifespan a bit shorter than a conventional one. Still, the tradeoff consists in their fuel economy and less environmental impact.

How Do I Know If a Tire Is Low Rolling Resistance and Fuel Efficient?

Most fuel-efficient tires have a green label on which you can find the abbreviation "LRR". Alternatively, you can observe the sidewall of the tire. The LRR one will have it thinner. An LRR tire tread blocks are generally shallower while the formula includes various specialized rubber compounds.

Why Trust Us?

Tires became my object of study for more than 10 years when I understood what contribution they bring to my driving experience. Precisely for this reason, I immersed myself in the tire and car manufacturing industry and ended up being part of the NeoTires team. This impressive team of qualified specialists and amateurs loves to evaluate, compare, and test various products to understand their mechanism of action and the factors that contribute to their performance.

As such, tires are a whole science for us. Our qualified team can help you choose the right products for your unique needs and specific conditions. The right tire can get you out of any mess and we are here to help you find it.

Apart from the variety of reputable products we offer, we offer you reasonable prices and friendly and qualified assistance. We like to contribute to improving the driving experience of our customers. We do this either through the right tools or through the guidance and informational support they need. So, feel free to call with any questions related to tires. We cannot somehow change your driving conditions. But at least we can prepare you to do them with strength and dignity. Drive safe and choose your tires wisely!