# Why is buying EV replacement tires so hard and frustrating? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 16, 2022, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664 "2022-12-16T19:31:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/1 "2022-12-16T19:31:39Z")
I got under 20K miles on my OEM tires for my EV and I’ve been having a heck of a time finding good replacement tires (for multiple reasons). The tires that I HAVE found so far are not available yet, not sold in this country yet, not available for sale in my region, or don’t have the features I need. What I want: A tire that lasts longer than 20k miles (hopefully, at least 40K or more). Quiet riding. Low rolling resistance, so that I don’t reduce the amount of miles I get on a single charge. Maybe “All season” tires? It snows a little where I live and I’d like something better than terrible handling in snow. Tires I have found: Goodyear Eagle Touring Sound Comfort Technology: They apparently don’t sell this tire in my region??? Hankook Ion EVO: not sold in this country yet. Erange EV tires: not in production yet. Michelin Pilot Sport 3: This summer tire will apparently reduce the number of miles I get per charge. Continental ContiSilent tires: Not available for my car or my region? More info about my situation: I live in the high desert Southwest. It snows maybe 6 times per winter, and it sticks maybe 2 - 3 times. Tire Size: 245 / 45 R19 98W Can anyone suggest a good tire for me? What tire did you get for your EV replacement tires? Thanks, J. P.s., The dealer recommended the Michelin tire that would reduce my miles per charge, so I don’t have much faith in them. ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/2 "2022-12-16T19:43:55Z")
[https://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?zip-code=59715&width=245/&ratio=45&diameter=19&rearWidth=255/&rearRatio=40&rearDiameter=17&performance=ALL](https://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?zip-code=59715&width=245/&ratio=45&diameter=19&rearWidth=255/&rearRatio=40&rearDiameter=17&performance=ALL) Some very expensive options, a few reasonable… ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/3 "2022-12-16T19:49:28Z")
> **[Hankook’s Line of Tires Exclusively for EVs Finally Hit the US](https://www.thedrive.com/guides-and-gear/hankook-ion-ev-tire-introduction)** > > EV owners often make compromises when searching for the perfect tire. Thanks to Hankook's iON tires, that's no longer the case. From the article: Two versions of this new tire are now available to the US market. The iON evo AS and iON evo AS SUV are available in a total of 26 sizes compatible with wheel sizes ranging from 18-22 inches, both of which are backed by a 50,000-mile warranty. Engineered to be quiet, low rolling resistance, and grippy. I sound like an ad man. Check them out. Hankook is Korean, has manufacturing facilities in South Korea, the People’s Republic of China, Hungary, Indonesia, and the United States. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/4 "2022-12-16T19:55:39Z")
May I ask a side question? Why do EVs need special tires? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/5 "2022-12-16T19:57:12Z")
Yeah, I was wondering that too. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/6 "2022-12-16T19:57:30Z")
EVs need special tires because: 1. They are heavier than ICE cars 2. Rolling resistance plays a larger role for mileage per charge. 3. Because EVs are intrinsically quiet, road noise from tires is a big factor. J. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/7 "2022-12-16T20:22:56Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Engineered to be quiet, low rolling resistance, and grippy. I sound like an ad man. Check them out. This seems kind of paradoxical to me. I would think “low rolling resistance” means “less friction between tire and road”, and “grippy” would be just the opposite. How does it do both? ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/8 "2022-12-16T20:25:08Z")
Reposting from the distant past: > [@Omnibus Electric Car Thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-electric-car-thread/803634/27): > > The only real problem I’ve had is a nail in a tire. When it happened the stock tires were unavailable. As in “there’s none anywhere in southern California”. (My service guy was actually swearing on the phone at Chevy corporate.) The choices were buy four new non-stock tires (because the non-stock have different radiuses than stock), or wait for a stock tire to be shipped for afar. By the way, there is no spare tire in a Bolt. But, the tires are “run-flat”. So I bought a 12V air compressor and reinflated the tire before driving anywhere. :smack: Eventually the dealership found a tire for me, and actually gave it to me gratis. That was back in the spring when there were only a few thousand Bolts on the road, so presumably Chevy has their service supply chain operational by now. Anyhow, it may be wise to invest in a 12V compressor for emergencies. It’s _always_ been a problem finding good tires for EVs. Tire care is the maintenance you need to do for your EV. As a rough estimate, you’re going to be spending nearly as much on tires as you do for charging. Whether you get cheaper tires, or more expensive, you need to stay aware of their wear state and don’t neglect rotations. I’ve been keeping OEM Michelins on our Chevy Bolt. They are run-flat, which gives some assurances you can get to a service station under your own power. Our Tesla 3 still has its original tires. I’ll have to investigate if we want to go to Michelins or stay OEM. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/9 "2022-12-16T20:31:26Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > This seems kind of paradoxical to me. I would think “low rolling resistance” means “less friction between tire and road”, and “grippy” would be just the opposite. How does it do both? Rolling resistance is the loss due to the deformation of the tire (and the road surface). Think of what a under-inflated tire looks like. You get that no matter what the inflation level of the tire is, it’s just not as visibly noticeable. Minimizing rolling resistance is why railroads use steel wheels on steel tracks. Grip, also called sliding friction, is what keeps the tire from slipping on the road. Unless you’re skiing or skating with your car, more is better. It is independent of the rolling resistance (of course, they both depend on the materials involved, but good design can reduce one while increasing the other). ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/10 "2022-12-16T20:42:07Z")
Hankook are not available in my size in my region. J. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/11 "2022-12-16T20:46:49Z")
You should be able to order them from a site like Tire Rack and have them shipped to your favorite shop for them to install. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/12 "2022-12-16T20:53:04Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > You should be able to order them from a site like Tire Rack and have them shipped to your favorite shop for them to install.   Definitely. My local tire shop orders the tires I want. Usually takes a week, then they call back to make an installation appointment. First time I had to pay up front, but after that they trust me enough to pay when they’re installed. Funny aside: the tire jockeys who do the actual work all came over to gawk at my fancy run-flat French tires when they were being installed. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/13 "2022-12-16T20:53:48Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > You should be able to order them from a site like Tire Rack and have them shipped to your favorite shop for them to install. Tirerack doesn’t have these tires, at least not in my size. J. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/14 "2022-12-16T20:56:21Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > > [@WildaBeast](#): > > > > You should be able to order them from a site like Tire Rack and have them shipped to your favorite shop for them to install.   > > Definitely. My local tire shop orders the tires I want. Usually takes a week, then they call back to make an installation appointment. First time I had to pay up front, but after that they trust me enough to pay when they’re installed. > > Funny aside: the tire jockeys who do the actual work all came over to gawk at my fancy run-flat French tires when they were being installed. My local tire store, who can order Hankook tires, said he called all 4 of his distributors and nobody has (or apparently can get) my size. J. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/15 "2022-12-16T21:00:48Z")
What’s your EV? If it’s a relatively new model, you may be like I was five years ago with my Bolt: out of luck until the supply chain catches up. Or pay for the “upgrades” you don’t want. Edit: are chains an option for you? I live in L.A., but driving up into the mountains always needs chains. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/16 "2022-12-16T21:03:09Z")
> [@jharvey963](#): > > Tirerack doesn’t have these tires, at least not in my size. Does Tirerack at least have _something_ that fits your car and meets your other criteria, if not those specific ones? ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/17 "2022-12-16T21:03:23Z")
Can’t tire sizes be fudged a bit? (Keeping this thread in mind, I don’t have an EV, but I would want LRR tires for my Prius) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/18 "2022-12-16T23:05:35Z")
> [@jharvey963](#): > > P.s., The dealer recommended the Michelin tire that would reduce my miles per charge, so I don’t have much faith in them. I’m curious why. There are a lot of things at play when buying a tire so if you walked in and said you wanted 40K miles out of your tires as the top priority and they recommended the Michelin then it is not their fault you are not happy it lowered you mpc. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/19 "2022-12-16T23:13:32Z")
No, I specified all of the things I wanted: more miles, quiet ride, no reduction in miles per charge, some ability in light snow. They specified a summer-rated tire that would reduce my miles per charge. J. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664/20 "2022-12-16T23:38:34Z")
> [@jharvey963](#): > > No, I specified all of the things I wanted: more miles, quiet ride, no reduction in miles per charge, some ability in light snow. They specified a summer-rated tire that would reduce my miles per charge. Maybe no such tire exists that satisfies all those requirements, at least not among the ones they stock. So found to find one that satisfied what they though were the two most important requirements. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-buying-ev-replacement-tires-so-hard-and-frustrating/976664.md?page=2)