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What Is Rolling Resistance?

How the science of rolling resistance affects your vehicle’s fuel efficiency, range, and sustainability.

Rolling resistance plays a major role in how much energy your vehicle needs to move — and therefore directly impacts both fuel consumption in combustion vehicles and battery range in electric ones. Tyre design is one of the key factors that can help reduce it.

🔍 Understanding Rolling Resistance

As its name suggests, rolling resistance (RR) refers to the force opposing a tyre’s motion as it rolls across a surface.

This resistance arises mainly from:

• Tyre deformation (as the rubber flexes under weight),

• Wing drag, and

• Friction between the tyre and the road.

The higher the rolling resistance, the more energy the vehicle must use to overcome it — increasing fuel or electricity consumption and even accelerating tyre wear.

➡️ A 30% increase in rolling resistance can result in 3–5% more fuel consumption.

⚙️ What Affects Rolling Resistance?

Several tyre-related factors influence rolling resistance:

• Tyre pressure

• Tread pattern and depth

• Tyre diameter and width

• Materials and construction design

Tyre Pressure: A Key Factor

Studies conducted on French roads (¹) revealed that over 50% of cars operate with tyres at least 0.3 bar below the recommended pressure.

This underinflation increases rolling resistance significantly:

• +6% for a 0.3 bar drop

• +30% for 1 bar underinflation

Maintaining proper inflation is one of the simplest ways to improve fuel efficiency and tyre longevity.

🧲 The Balance Between Resistance and Grip

While it’s ideal to minimise rolling resistance, some resistance is essential for traction and safety.

Rolling resistance comes partly from the friction between the road and the tyre — the same friction that provides grip and control.

In other words, you need a certain level of rolling resistance to generate traction and stability. The challenge lies in reducing unnecessary energy loss (heat generation) without compromising grip or braking performance.

⚡ Introducing Low Rolling Resistance (LRR) Tyres

Low Rolling Resistance (LRR) tyres are engineered to reduce energy dissipation and therefore improve fuel economy or extend EV range.

Michelin achieves this through innovation across three key areas:

1. Tyre Architecture

   • Optimised tread geometry and internal structure reduce deformation during rotation.

   • This minimises heat generation and energy loss.

2. Tyre Weight

   • Lighter materials help reduce inertia and limit heat buildup.

3. Advanced Rubber Compounds

   • Michelin continuously refines its rubber formulas to absorb less energy while maintaining outstanding grip and durability.

The result: tyres that save energy without sacrificing performance or safety.

🌱 MICHELIN e·PRIMACY: The Benchmark in Low Rolling Resistance

The MICHELIN e·PRIMACY tyre sets the standard in its category (²) for energy efficiency, combining:

• Best-in-class rolling resistance,

• Excellent wet braking performance, and

• Long-lasting safety over tens of thousands of kilometres.

Even after 30,000 km, the e·PRIMACY still meets the same braking standards expected of a new tyre.

Only 1% of tyres on the market achieve a top rolling resistance rating (A) and an equivalent wet braking rating (A/B).

⛽ Real-World Fuel and Range Savings

“A tyre’s rolling resistance accounts for one full tank in five.”
— Cyrille Roget, Michelin Science and Innovation Communications Director

This means tyre performance has a significant impact on your vehicle’s efficiency and your budget.

With MICHELIN e·PRIMACY Tyres:

• Fuel savings: ≈ 0.21 litres/100 km (≈ $120 over the tyre’s lifetime) (³)

• CO₂ reduction: Less fuel burned means lower emissions

• EV range: +7% compared to other tyres in its class — equivalent to 30 km extra range on a 400 km charge (⁴)

💡 Are Low Rolling Resistance Tyres Worth It?

Absolutely.

With low rolling resistance tyres, both drivers and the environment benefit:

• Lower fuel or energy use, reducing operating costs

• Reduced fossil fuel demand, cutting greenhouse gas emissions

• Greater EV efficiency, easing demand on the power grid (which still relies partly on fossil fuels in Europe)

In short, low rolling resistance tyres are an essential step toward smarter, more sustainable mobility — and Michelin leads the way.

✅ Key Takeaways

🌍 Drive Farther, Save More, Pollute Less

Reducing rolling resistance is not just about saving fuel — it’s about driving toward a cleaner, more efficient future.

With Michelin’s low rolling resistance tyres, you can enjoy longer drives, lower costs, and a lighter footprint on the planet — without compromising performance or safety.

References

(1) Studies on French road conditions, Michelin internal data.
(2) Comparative performance tests conducted by TÜV SÜD and Dekra.
(3) Based on average European fuel prices and consumption.
(4) Internal simulation for a standard 400 km EV range.