Michelin creates Energy Saver gas-conserving tire
Michelin has created a new tire as part of the development of the Peugeot 308. The Energy Saver uses a specially-developed rubber composite, and Michelin claims the tire reduces rolling resistance by 20% in both 15- and 16-inch sizes. Tire testing was carried out by TÜV SÜD Automotive, which measured the Michelin's performance to that of the top six competitor tires. The Energy Saver is also said to have the same durability as Michelin's other tires.
The tire will come standard on two 308 models, the 90 HDI and the 110 HDI 308s, both high mileage diesels, and Peugeot will be the exclusive maker to use it until February 2008. In addition to the gas savings because of its lower rolling resistance, the tire is also said to lower a car's CO2 emissions by 4g per kilometer. We'll find out soon enough if the claims have real-world merit -- and real world savings -- but we welcome all such efforts where the rubber meets the road.
[Source: Michelin]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mat 6:33AM (2/13/2008)
Well I have to say that I've been running the New Michelin Energy tyres as fitted to the Peugeot 308, but on my Peugeot 406 without problem. I have used Michelin Primacy on and off for several years without problem, but they are no longer available. The new design looks crap, but it's how they perform that counts. I would say that they actually perform better than the Primacy, with a positive grip in all weathers and road surfaces. You may think that this guy doesn't drive the tyres hard, well you would be wrong! I travel 120miles on twisty A and B roads each day to work, I'm usually late but enjoy driving to the limit, and as such tyres are usually worn out by 15,000 miles max. I also drive around 30,000 miles each year. The Michelin tyre also uses around 1-2% less fuel in real day driving, they obviously have a stiffer manufacture to enable the rolling resistance to be reduced (I don't understand some of the comments saying just blow your tyres up more to reduce the rolling resistance, it may indeed reduce it, but it wont do much for the handling, braking or centre tyre wear). I have used premium tyres from many different manufactures over the years including Continentals, Goodyear and Firestone, non last or grip as well as a Michelin. Michelin tyres are also very predicable around corners with no sudden break away on the limit. Comments saying with a low rolling resistance tyre breaking distance will increase, that is not true in real every day driving. No two surfaces are the same, different times of day, heat, cold, wet, dry, surface composition, ABS, brake composition, airflow, in car weight distribution all have factors in braking distances. I have crash braked with these tyres and they stop at least as well as the primacy - in other words, very well indeed. You should always drive with consideration to the prevailing road conditions and never exceed them, no tyre or braking system will save you if this is not born in mind. Thinking about the manufacturing standards of a Michelin when put on a perfect rim, it rarely needs balancing, something that other manufactures just simply cant manage in my experience. Michelin tyres do cost a bit more than others, but they really are worth it, the new design is excellent.
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Corey L 7:07PM (9/07/2007)
Wonder how it impacts traction. Not too concerned with the lateral grip, but more about stopping distances.
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seoultrain 9:53PM (9/07/2007)
also my first thought. Cars like the Prius don't have very good grip to begin with, and a new, even-lower-resistance tire doesn't seem very promising. Hopefully they didn't make too much of a compromise.
MikeW 1:08AM (9/10/2007)
Where does it say traction is in anyway changed. Even econo-tires should be able to pull a peak deceleration of 1g.
Michelin probably started from the inside out working to minimize nonconservative losses [heat]. Carcass, then sidewall, then finally tread. A tread can have low RR and a high mu, with the right kind of R&D. [sh*t should get better over time]
The prius should have 195/60 15 tires. It does have 6" wide wheels. Simple, don't replace the 185/65 tires with the same size. There is a better selection of 195/60 than 185/65 at TireRack.
Tsunami Racer 7:15PM (9/07/2007)
cold day in hell before i put french tires on my car!! the french are good for bordeaux, dijon mustard, cognac and that's about it!!
oh, and actor Jean Reno. I like him too. but that's it!!
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Louis Duran 9:51PM (9/07/2007)
What a dipshit.
Tsunami Racer 12:52AM (9/08/2007)
oh lighten up lew wee. it's called a joke. humor.
i'm sure the french rip on us all the time about our roundy round nascar, our overweight midwest women and our bad hollywood movies. and they don't like goodyear tires or dodge cars either. so the feeling is mutual.
Ivan 8:51AM (9/08/2007)
Indeed. The key difference is that Michelin tyres are in fact excellent.
Farris 7:18PM (9/07/2007)
It's about time a car company started looking into this. I'd like to get more MPGs from my TDI Beetle by putting tires like these on, but finding Rolling Resistance numbers on tires is a royal PITA.
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Farris 7:19PM (9/07/2007)
It's about time a car company started looking into this. I'd like to get more MPGs from my TDI Beetle by putting tires like these on, but finding Rolling Resistance numbers on tires is a royal PITA.
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Farris 7:20PM (9/07/2007)
Sorry for the double post.
Mal Fuller 7:30PM (9/07/2007)
"The Energy Saver is also said to have the same durability as Michelin's other tires."
That's too bad, what with Michelin's traditionally weak sidewall.
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Chase 7:47PM (9/07/2007)
"20% less rolling resistance", or in other words, 20% longer stopping distances and 20% less lateral force.
-- Great, you have saved 2 mpg. Now pay five times your savings back in insurance costs from all the extra people just like you who couldn't stop in time.
Hell be the day I sacrifice safety for for fuel economy. Heck, I have a sports car and its fuel economy and carbon emissions are much better than average. People need to get smaller cars, not tires that are have a big sacrifice.
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Cameron 8:00PM (9/07/2007)
Exactly.
James Sonne 8:10PM (9/07/2007)
20% would be over 6 mpg in my Acura RSX ... but Michelin's lack of traction is why I switched to a better brand in the first place. Also, 20% increase would mean another 80 miles on the tank, and $5 less each time I fill up the tank (on the same weekly filling schedule).
I think the economy of it may be a little better than you suspect, although the downsides are all still there. People that are more interested in saving fuel and money are generally less likely to be in a situation in which they need to stop more quickly, anyway.
why not the LS2/LS7? 8:44PM (9/07/2007)
You're kidding me. The only time an increase in stopping distance will be an issue is when your stopping distance would only barely have been short enough before.
So, in practice that means every time you stop by using less than full brake force, the reduction in traction will have no effect at all.
Are you saved from rear ending someone by your ABS daily? If so, these tires will mean you'll hit other cars daily. Also, you might want to look into learning to drive properly.
racer01 9:29PM (9/07/2007)
20% rolling resistance doesn't = 20% better fuel economy...
seoultrain 9:58PM (9/07/2007)
thank you racer. There are tons of things that drag a car, and rolling resistance is relatively small compared to air resistance and mechanical friction.
As a totally uneducated guess, a 20% decrease of rolling resistance would increase mileage by 5% in the city and 2% on the highway.
Chase 5:09PM (9/08/2007)
Note that I didn't say I think sacrificing performance is bad, I said safety. Sometimes things jump into the road. I'll eat my 2mpg so I can have that much more time to slow down or dodge in the case of an evasive maneuver.
If I want more MPG, I'll get a smaller car (meaning more aerodynamic and less mass). If I want more MPG, I'll get a smaller engine.
why not the LS2/LS7? 8:42PM (9/07/2007)
Saw this same stuff in the 70s/80s (like the P Metric) when fuel prices were high. It's not rocket science, just make the compound harder and put more air in and the tire deforms less when rolling and resistance goes down.
Of course, your performance goes down too. Which likely won't go over well this time because everyone seems to think even economy cars should turn a 0.9 on the skidpad.
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