EU TYRE LABEL – OVERVIEW

Similar to the energy label found on domestic appliances, the new EU tire label makes it easy to evaluate important safety and environmental aspects of a tire. Explore the links below to find out more.

Viewing tire label information

The EU tire label will be displayed as a sticker on all new tires from November 2012. All dealers are obliged to provide this information. You can also view EU ratings for each Fulda tire on our website.

Label values shown are for illustrative purposes only. Values for a certain tire line/size may vary.

Fuel efficiency
Wet grip
External noise

As much as 20% of your vehicle’s fuel consumption relates to the rolling resistance of your tyres. This is the resistance that the tyre encounters as it meets the ground. An easy-rolling tyre requires less fuel, since a smaller amount of energy is wasted on friction and heat.

Fuel efficiency is rated using 7 different categories, ranging from A (most fuel-efficient category) to G (least fuel-efficient category). Category D is not used for passenger cars.

Benefits

The difference in fuel consumption between a car with A rated tyres and a car with G-rated tyres could be up to 7.5%. That translates to savings of more than £300 over the lifetime of the tyres.* By choosing fuel-efficient tyres, you’ll also be reducing harmful CO2 emissions.

Other factors that affect fuel consumption

For optimal fuel efficiency, make sure your tyres are correctly inflated. Low tyre pressure increases rolling resistance and impacts on wet grip performance. The weight of your vehicle and your personal driving style can also make a big difference. Energy-efficient driving, or “eco-driving” can significantly reduce your fuel consumption.

* Based on an average consumption of 8 litres/100km, a fuel price of £1.50 / litre, and an average tyre mileage of 35,000 km

Wet grip is an important consideration when buying new tyres. The EU rating is determined by measuring the tyre’s braking distance on wet surfaces.

Wet grip is rated from A (category with the shortest braking distance) to F (category with the longest braking distance).

Ratings D and G are not used for passenger cars.

Why the wet grip rating matters

A few metres can make all the difference in an emergency. A set of A-rated tyres will stop 30% shorter than a set of F-rated tyres. For a passenger vehicle applying full brakes from 80kph, that’s 18 meters shorter braking distance.*

Note: You should always respect the recommended stopping distances when driving.

*When measured according to the test methods set out in Regulation EC 1222/2009. Braking distances may vary according to driving conditions and other influencing factors.

Tyres generate a portion of your vehicle’s pass by noise. Buying tyres with a good noise rating will lessen the impact of your driving on the environment around you.

The tyre’s external noise level is shown as a decibel value. The sound wave icons indicate if the tyre noise is below or above forthcoming European limits.

1 black wave: Quiet (3dB or more below the future European limit)
2 black waves: Moderate (between the future European limit and 3dB below)
3 black waves: Noisy (above the future European limit)

Decibels matter

An increase of just a few decibels represents a large difference in noise levels. In fact, a difference of 3dB doubles the amount of noise the tyre produces.