While it’s true that electric vehicles don’t require the same level of routine maintenance that gas vehicles do, EVs have some downsides. A main point of complaint for owners has been tires, as a new J.D. Power study showed that many are surprised that their heavy, torque-rich EV burns through rubber faster than when they had a gas vehicle.
The study showed that EV owners are less satisfied with their tires’ durability, as they expect them to last as long as their gas vehicle’s tires did. J.D. Power’s senior director of benchmarking and alternative mobility, Ashley Edgar, said, “Because of the inherent conflict of maximizing vehicle range and optimizing tire wear for EVs, tire manufacturers and automakers need to work together to overcome the challenge without completely sacrificing tire performance in other areas, especially as the EV market continues to increase.”
The shift in tire performance will mean that dealer service departments need to be prepared to jump into the tire business, if they’re not already. Electric vehicles don’t need oil changes and other regular maintenance, so tire rotations and related fixes will become the most common customer needs.
Outside of EV tires, J.D. Power also found that customers were most satisfied with Michelin tires across several segments, including luxury vehicles, passenger cars, and performance tires. Falken was the top tire in the truck and utility segment.
J.D. Power surveyed 31,414 owners of 2022 and 2023 model-year vehicles for the study. Owners were asked about their satisfaction in four areas: tire ride, tire wear, tire traction and handling, and tire appearance.
[Image: Kalimedia via Shutterstock]
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