Renault Group and tyre maker target EV range via rolling resistance

Tyres are the quiet lever on EV range, and Continental has just teamed up with Renault Group to pull it harder, engineering low rolling-resistance rubber specifically for electric models. Continental puts it at up to 35% lower rolling resistance than the EU tyre label's top A rating requires, worth about 30km of extra range on a 500km battery, which makes the payoff a claim to test rather than a given - less energy wasted at the contact patch should, in theory, mean more miles per charge and fewer depot stops to plug in. For fleets weighing EV total cost of ownership, tyre choice is turning into a real efficiency lever rather than an afterthought at renewal time. Worth flagging to procurement before the next tyre contract goes out to tender. (Continental)