Gary Zhou 
Pirelli, the Italian tire maker, announced today the introduction in North America of its first-ever replacement tire for electric vehicles: the P Zero All Season Plus with Elect Marking.
The Elect marking on Pirelli’s tires indicates several distinct advantages. First, the tire has low rolling resistance, which increases driving range and reduces energy consumption, making stops at electric vehicle chargers less frequent. When coupled with a high-range vehicle, like the Lucid Air Dream Edition or Tesla Model S All-Wheel Drive, the Pirelli Elect series decreases road contact, making the vehicles more efficient. When non-Elect P Zero All Season Plus tires have been fitted on vehicles, the Pirelli product has shown a reduction of rolling resistance by 15 percent, translating to direct improvement of the EV battery life cycle.
One of the most important and distinct advantages is also the reduction of road noise, creating a more peaceful a quiet experience in the EV’s cabin. In electric vehicles, road noise is more noticeable as the lack of a loud combustion engine, which drowns out these noises in a gas-powered car, provides more noise within the cabin. This was a main focus of Tesla for several years, as many consumers had stated road noise had gone to nearly intolerable levels. Tesla eventually worked with tire manufacturers for insulated rubber and made changes with its build processes to alleviate some of the cabin noise complaints.
Road noise won’t be a concern for those who utilize the Pirelli All Season Plus, as it features the company’s PNCS, or “Pirelli Noise Cancelling System.” Pirelli developed this technology to reduce interior noise thanks to a sound-absorbing material applied to the inside of the circumferential wall. It offers improved driving comfort, which is another feature appreciated by EV drivers. Tires equipped with PNCS have shown a 5 percent reduction in cabin noise versus the leading OEM competitor.
Another incredible advantage of Pirelli’s Elect tires is the immediate grip it provides for EVs, helping support the notoriously fast acceleration of electric powertrains. Along with the traction control and launch grip advantages, Pirelli’s tires support the weight of a battery-powered vehicle, the company said.
Pirelli continues to develop new tires and technology for EVs, especially as the automotive industry continues to show a massive transition to more sustainable powertrains. Pirelli was the first tire manufacturer to homologate a dedicated technology for EVs. It also has the highest number of homologations of tires for electric vehicles.
“Developing a tire specifically for electric vehicles requires a number of considerations you do not encounter when working with internal combustion engines,” Ian Coke, Chief Technical Officer at Pirelli North America, said. “Electric vehicles are heavier, have more powerful and faster acceleration off the line, and require lower rolling resistance.”
Pirelli developed a new compound formulation that increases abrasion resistance of the tire, which compensates for the high torque and increased weight, which EVs both have. The tire is built to offer “long-lasting performance in every condition,” the company said.
The new P Zero All Season Plus Elect will fit some of the most popular EV high-performance models and will be available from 18 to 20 inches. In addition to the clear EV vehicle benefits, the new P Zero All Season Plus Elect comes with a 50,000-mile limited treadwear warranty.
