TAXI TYRE RATINGS: How the ratings work and are there any ‘double A’ rated tyres for the LEVC TX?
Tyre safety and performance should be right at the top of a taxi driver's list of importance when it comes to maintaining and driving the right vehicle.
With the sheer amount of miles driven on a daily basis, cabbies are starting to look at higher performance tyres that better suit professional drivers.
The European tyre label is a useful tool for cabbies when it comes to choosing new tyres, as it allows them to compare two key standardised performance tests; energy efficiency and wet grip.
The energy efficiency rating ranges from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and is based on the tyre's rolling resistance. The wet grip rating also ranges from A to G and measures the tyre's ability to maintain traction on wet roads.
Double A rated tyres refer to tyres that have received the highest possible rating for fuel efficiency and wet grip on the European tyre label. This label is a regulation that was introduced in 2012 by the European Union to provide consumers with standardised information about the performance of tyres.
To receive the highest double A rating, a tyre must perform exceptionally well in both fuel efficiency and wet grip. This means that it will allow taxi drivers to save fuel and provide excellent braking performance on wet roads.
Are there any double A rated tyres for the taxi industry?
Luckily, yes, there are. Newcomers to the market, ENSO, offer EV tyres for the LEVC TX to provide more electric range at competitive prices. Enso Tyres enhance driving range by up to 10%, last longer, and reduce dangerous particulate matter (PM) emissions by up to 35%.
These double A-rated ENSO tyres outperform standard fit tyres for most taxis, with the double-A label being the highest grade set out by European tyre label regulations.
In comparison, other popular tyres for the LEVC TX include the Maaxis which rate at C for both efficiency and wet grip.
G Erlendsson, CEO of ENSO, said recently: “ENSO is the only tyre company in the world who wants to sell fewer, high-quality, tyres to break the cycle of false economy created by the current high-volume low-cost, low-quality industry model.”
G Erlendsson added: “Cabbies who take up ENSO’s launch offer at the EV Service Hub in London over the coming weeks will not only be doing their bit to help reduce the environmental impact of tyres, they will also be part of disrupting the tyre industry as ENSO’s tyres are sold direct-to-consumer, meaning that that there’s no additional costs for third-party distribution.”
