Given
40%
while driving a
Hyundai Kona electric
(215/55 R17) on
mostly motorways
for 30,000
average miles
I got these tyres stock with my new car in 2019 (Hyundai Kona electric) and I must say they are some of the worst tyres I have experienced, but I think this may well be down to the fact that I have switched to an EV. Many manufacturers choose tyres with low rolling resistance for EVs as this helps acheive better milage figures in tests which is obviously great for marketing. However, low rolling resistance generally also means less grip and combined with the fact that EVs generally have higher torque, this makes for a pretty bad driving experience particularly in the wet. I have found that the tyres spin when accelerating from a stopped position on any kind of slope when wet, and by accelerating I don't mean a drag race, just a normal start from a traffic light. As I live in Hong Kong, which rains a lot this is not great. Also, I have noticed the tyres squeal during turns which have never happened in my other cars and at normal speeds which I think is also due to lower traction the tyres offer. Another problem I have noticed, although admittedly it may be down to luck is that I get a lot of punctures with these tyres. I have been driving for around 10 years and usually I get 1-2 punctures a year, but since I got my new car I have been repairing punctures virtually every month. Although I obviously cannot be sure it is due to the tyres it does seem statistically significant. It has also been suggested to me that as EV have to lug around a heavy battery pack, there is generally more load on the tyres which may make them easier to puncture so read it as you may. I have switched to a set of Continental MC6 tyres and at least the grip has improved and driving in the wet is now much greater for me. I would definately not recommend these tyres for anyone driving EVs.