Thursday 1 November 2012

Efficient tyres could cut fuel costs by £500m

UK firms could cut fuel costs by up to £500 million every year by using more fuel-efficient tyres on company vehicles.

With new EU legislation compelling tyre manufacturers to label their car and light commercial tyres, the Energy Saving Trust (EST) is urging businesses to select “best-in-class tyres” for their vehicles.

The new law, which comes into force today, requires all tyres on sale in the UK to display a label indicating their rating on grip in wet conditions, external noise and fuel efficiency.

EST claims the difference between the best and worst tyres on the market can cut fuel consumption by up to 7.5% over their lifetime. Efficient tyres could also cut carbon emissions by more than 1 million tonnes.

Tim Anderson, Senior Knowledge Manager at EST said: “Better tyres may cost more to purchase but this additional expenditure is usually more than offset by the fuel savings over the tyres’ lifetime.”

Fitting better tyres could also make a significant difference to driver safety, he added: “Research has shown that stopping distances from 50mph could be shortened by 18 metres by fitting the safest-rated tyres. At motorway speeds, the difference between the highest and lowest-rated tyres will be even greater.”

EST claims business drivers are 30-40% more likely to be involved in a road traffic accident than private drivers.