Low Rolling Resistance Tires
by TreeHugger 
on 05. 4.05
Green Seal has released another of their well-researched "Choose Green" reports, this time covering "Low Rolling Resistance Tires". The reports presents previously unpublished data on leading tires that have low rolling resistance. What is rolling resistance exactly?
It is a measurement of how easily the tire rolls down the road — minimizing the energy wasted as heat between the tire and the road, within the tire sidewall itself, and between the tire and the rim.
Green Seal found that rolling resistance differences of 20 to 30% are not uncommon among tires of an otherwise similar size, type, and level of performance. This means an individual vehicle could save up to 6% of its gasoline use if it were fitted with very efficient tires, paying for the additional cost in about one year. In words, a typical compact car such as a Ford Focus can improve its mileage from 30 mpg to 32 mpg simply by using lower rolling resistance tires. For a car averaging 15,000 miles per year the fuel savings is about $50 (at $1.50 per gallon).
Some of the tires which received top recommendations were: Bridgestone B381, Nokian NRT2 and Sumitomo HTR 200.
:: Green Seal Report (PDF File)
[by Justin Thomas]
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Wow! So, at $3 per gallon, this is a savings of $100, and at $10 per gallon, a savings of $330. As long as the basic components in these tires are natural rubber, I suspect this'll be a selling point for tire companies pretty soon...
Want to know a free way to preserve gas and safe money? Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Avid cyclists can feel when their tires are underinlated because it takesa more effort to pedal them.