FXSTD – Alternative Energy Center

By: Gregg Hall
Today as more and more non-renewable energy sources are getting exhausted across the world, people are veering towards ways of saving energy and using alternate energy resources. Hybrid cars that can run on two or more energy source for example, gasoline, electricity, hydrogen, etc. are an attempt towards saving energy. Hybrid cars as a result are generally designed to save energy from its engines to its tires. Most hybrid cars available today run on low-rolling resistance tires.

What are low-rolling resistance tires?

Low-rolling resistance tires in simple words are those tires that roll easily on the road thereby creating less friction in other words less resistance between the road and the tire. Today most of the hybrid cars run on these tires. These tires are easy on the engine and as a result save a lot of energy which in turn saves your gas expenses. Low-rolling resistance tires also help the driver in handling the car on the road, are more stable on the run and are durable.

How do these work?

As in all tires, even for low-rolling resistance tires generate heat at three different places the friction between the road and the tire, the heat generated within the walls of the tire and the heat generated between the rim and the tire. Now in a low-rolling resistance tire, the manufacturers try to reduce the amount of heat generated by the tires. This is achieved by a number of ways:

The tread of the tire is designed in a different way.

The material is used such that it generates less heat. Mostly strong but light material is used to help generate less heat.

The tires can run without air for at least fifty miles which means that even if you have a flat tire you can drive till your nearest mechanic without being stranded.

How can such tires save energy and money?

Statistics show that low-rolling resistance tires can improve the rolling resistance of your car by 25% which in turn can give an improved mileage by three to five percent. The material used reduces the heat generated which saves fuel. Although you may need to pay $40 extra on buying a set of low-rolling resistance tires, you may eventually save up to 6% of gasoline usage.

Although there is hardly any negative point about these tires, if you are a bit of a wild driver and go on long off-terrain drives, then may be the tread of low-rolling resistance tires will not be sufficient for you.

Apart from that consumers and authorities have both taken notice of the low-rolling resistance tires so much so that California has come up with the law where replacement tires are supposed to be of the same quality, performance and efficiency of the tires of a new car, which are mostly low-rolling resistance tires.

Most hybrid cars come with low-rolling resistance tires. However when it comes to getting replacement low-rolling resistance tires it gets a bit tough and contacting the manufacturers directly would probably be a safe bet.