As car enthusiasts, no one can deny how exciting the concepts of torque, speed, friction, and resistance are. It is interesting to know how they link up with the performance of your car. Therefore, it’s not a surprise that various car components like tyres have been designed and developed to tackle the forces affecting your car’s ultimate performance. Rolling resistance is one such concept and with today’s technology, tyres known as low rolling resistance tyres have been developed for this very purpose.
But before we get into what these Goodyear car tyres Southampton do for you, let’s look at what rolling resistance is and how it affects cars in general-
What does rolling resistance mean?
When a body rolls on a surface, rolling resistance, also known as rolling friction or rolling drag is the force that resists the motion. It mostly has inelastic effects meaning that when the pressure is released, not all of the energy required for deformation or movement of the wheel, roadbed, and so on is recovered.
Rolling Resistance in vehicles explained
The force required per unit vehicle weight to move the vehicle on levelled ground at a constant slow speed is described as rolling resistance for cars and vehicles in general if the air resistance is minimal and no traction forces or brakes are employed. In other words, if the car didn’t have the force to keep it moving, it would cost.
Tyre Rolling resistance
When you accelerate the car, you’re effectively moving energy, in the form of gas or electricity, depending on your vehicle. Through the engine and other components. As a result, your tyres begin to revolve and enough momentum is generated to push your car forward. The amount of energy a tyre expands over a given distance is known as rolling resistance in tyres. It is one of five forces that must be resisted for a vehicle to move forward, along with gravity, aerodynamics, inertia, and mechanical friction.
Is it possible to avoid rolling resistance?
The straightforward answer is, No. One cannot avoid rolling resistance fully but they can certainly reduce its effect. Tires can be designed with specifically formulated tread compounds that are more resistant to heat production and built to reduce tyre deflection for less energy loss since hysteresis causes tyre rolling resistance and such tyres are called low rolling resistance tyres.
Are Low rolling resistance tyres beneficial?
For you average driver, who is concerned about fuel efficiency along with good car performance, a low rolling resistance tyre might be the answer they are looking for. As compared to your conventional tyres, low rolling resistance tyres are much more fuel-efficient and low fuel cost means money saved which is perhaps one of the best benefits in itself.
Manufacturers are now also adding silica, a sand-like substance, to the rubber of low-rolling tyres to increase performance. Silica enhances grip, which results in improved road handling. Yes, it’s true that while these tyres may cost a bit extra, studies show that you get around 1.7kpl for a 10% reduction in tyre rolling resistance. On paper, it may not sound like a lot, but when you add it over the course of a year or two, it certainly makes up for the higher purchase price.
Do Low Rolling Resistance Tyres Involve any Trade-offs?
One can’t always get everything without giving something up in return and unless a whole new technology is developed, the same is true with low rolling resistance tyres. To improve the rolling resistance, a manufacturer may have to reduce the tread depth of the tyre which ultimately leads to reduced tyre wear usage.
There is also a minor issue of keeping the tyres completely inflated to utilise their maximum performance capabilities.
Ultimately, the benefits of the low rolling resistance tyres far outweigh its minimal cons. If you are planning to choose some of these high-quality car tyres Southampton, you can head right over to Auto trade Tyres without any worries and have a look at our wide range of tyre selections, curated especially for you.
