When it comes to fuel efficiency, you may be surprised to learn that using the wrong tires has a direct impact. Although gas prices are currently low, there is no guarantee that rates will not increase dramatically in the near future. Regardless, it is to your advantage to make sure you have the right tires on your vehicle to avoid wasting fuel.
Regardless of the vehicle’s size, if it has the wrong size tires, you will spend more at the gas pump. Of course, the larger the vehicle, the more fuel is wasted due to weight and more powerful engine. As part of the engineering process, automakers determine the appropriate size and type of tire for optimal performance and fuel efficiency.
In addition, the miles-per-gallon for city and highway driving is established by the Environmental Protection Agency. The numbers in this case are based on the original tires and wheels on the vehicle. Therefore, if the tires on your care have been changed and differ from what the automaker and EPA recommends, you will notice decreased handling, as well as fuel efficiency.
Helpful Information
The key to fuel economy is known as rolling resistance. City fuel economy is always lower than highway, since the engine must generate greater power to move the vehicle. Typically, moving a smaller wheel and tire package is easier and more fuel efficient than moving a larger one, since less power is needed.
Once the vehicle starts moving, the engine has to work harder to ensure that a smaller wheel and tire package covers the same distance as a larger package. For this reason, the larger package gets better fuel efficiency for highway driving. Keep in mind that these assumptions are based on the smaller and larger packages weighing roughly the same.
If you’re interested in going up a tire size, be sure the diameter of the replacement is the same as the original wheel and tire package. Additionally, if you’re going up one-inch in size, the weight of the sidewall must be reduced to compensate and ensure improved fuel efficiency.
Generally, the lower the profile of the tire, the better fuel economy. In addition, you need to pay close attention to inflation of the tires. If just one tire on your vehicle is under-inflated by eight PSI, rolling resistance increases by 20 percent, which decreases fuel efficiency.
Rolling resistance is also influenced by the tread design. Simply put, the deeper the tread on the tire, the greater the rolling resistance. This is why off-road vehicles with deep treads needed to push through mud get extremely low mileage.
A Better Option for Ground Transportation
For optimal fuel efficiency, make sure the tires on your vehicle are the appropriate size. However, you can save even more money by taking advantage of ground transportation offered by a reputable limousine company.
Tags: driving tips, travel tips