Tips to improve electric vehicle efficiency during holiday travel: pay attention to tyres
Jakarta — Tyre manufacturer Hankook Tire Sales Indonesia (HTSI) has urged holiday travellers using electric vehicles to exercise greater care in selecting tyres to ensure optimal vehicle performance, particularly during long-distance journeys.
National Sales Manager for Passenger Car Radial at PT HTSI, Apriyanto Yuwono, stated that tyre preparation before long trips is equally important as mapping public electric vehicle charging stations (SPKLU).
“Tyres that are not appropriate and not specifically designed for electric vehicle use will drain battery energy,” Yuwono said in a written statement.
He explained that electric vehicles have different characteristics compared to conventional fuel-powered vehicles. One key difference is the relatively large battery weight and strong instantaneous torque. This combination means electric vehicles are generally heavier than internal combustion engine vehicles.
If an electric vehicle uses conventional tyres not specifically designed for EV characteristics, it risks increasing rolling resistance. This causes the vehicle to work harder to rotate the wheels, resulting in higher battery energy consumption, especially when facing stop-and-go traffic conditions on congested motorways.
Yuwono emphasised that electric vehicle efficiency depends not only on battery capacity but also on vehicle component condition, including tyres.
“If battery efficiency begins to decline or tyre noise sounds louder, this signals that rolling resistance is no longer optimal. Switching to electric vehicle-specific tyres designed for long-distance travel, such as iON ST AS tyres, which offer durability and optimal driving range potential, is a smart investment for family safety and comfort during extended holidays,” he said.
Vehicle owners are advised to conduct visual inspections two to three weeks before travelling. If battery efficiency drops drastically or tyre noise sounds louder than usual, this can indicate rolling resistance is no longer optimal.
Conventional tyres on electric vehicles can cause energy waste because they are not designed to withstand heavier vehicle loads. Additionally, electric vehicles tend to consume greater energy when travelling at high speeds on motorways.
Using electric vehicle-specific tyres like iON ST AS can help improve efficiency. These tyres feature Opti Cure Technology designed to significantly reduce rolling resistance, enabling vehicles to travel further distances with more efficient energy consumption.
Adjusting tyre air pressure according to vehicle type, tyre dimensions, and load capacity is important for maintaining vehicle performance during long journeys.
Additionally, using tyres with Round Even Technology can help maintain more even pressure distribution and minimise uneven tyre wear, even when vehicles carry larger loads of luggage.
The noise level in electric vehicles is minimal, making road noise from tyres more noticeable in the cabin. Therefore, using tyres equipped with “i Sound Absorber Technology” can provide a solution. This technology uses a special tread pattern and foam layer to significantly dampen road noise, keeping the cabin quiet and making family journeys more comfortable.