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What Should You Take Into Consideration When Choosing Tires For Electric Cars?
After having moved with my family to Boston, I was aware that I needed to invest in some good winter tires to make it through the winter safely. We recently purchased Nissan Leaf, our first electric car, so I was in the market for the right tire suited for electric vehicles. I decided to put Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 winter tires on our new electrical family car because it is not safe to drive on the icy and snowy roads without properly mounted winter tires. The Boston winters can be quite treacherous at least in western Massachusetts where we live, so the investment in winter tires pays off.
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 tire is specially designed for the icy and snowy roads which is what we can expect here in western Massachusetts in the winter. The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 tire is a non-studded tire that has a unique tread pattern with its tailored sipes optimizing driving on snowy, icy, wet and dry roads. It even has “Cryo Crystal 3” particles in its tread compound, providing better grip with the snowy and icy road surface which will lead to better driving comfort, which is essential to us.
The production of the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 had to perform well in its home country as well as nearby countries if it was to be exported to other countries experiencing winter seasons. The winter tire is tested under harsh conditions ensuring that it would help cars move safely on snow, ice, and pouring rain. Poland’s tires had to perform well in its unpredictable winter to receive positive responses and to continue the production of the Hakkapeliitta for Poland. Likewise, the Czech Republic has harsh winter seasons that obligate drivers to use winter tires for their vehicles to ensure the safety of their drivers and passengers and the Hakkapeliitta R3 has also been proven and tested in this country. Because of the positive responses on the Hakkapeliitta line, I decided to use the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 for our electric car.
Driving on snowy roads takes some skill. However, with the right tires, it seems less daunting. Even though winter tires aren’t mandatory, I wanted to make sure our family can drive safely and mounted Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 tires on our family car. Another reason for picking this tire was that it was suitable for my Nissan. There are some issues to consider when choosing tires for electric and hybrid cars. The electric cars have battery packs and are usually heavier than regular ones. That’s why it takes longer to get them to stop. The extra grip will play an important role when driving on slippery and wet roads helping the car come to a halt faster than other tires. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 tires also provide a lower environmental impact as they have low rolling resistance.
Nissan Leaf is an electric car with quite a powerful motor. I was elated to find out that these high-quality tires will bring out the best of our new powerful electrical car. I’m now all set for the winter season, but when the spring and summer emerges, I will need to change to either all-season tires, all-weather tires or summer tires. Changing to summer tires is common and a bit of a hassle, but if I select an all-weather or an all-season tire, I won’t have to think much when to replace the tires. In that case, I can even switch a bit earlier from winter tires and not have to worry about reoccurring winter weather, as compared to summer tires, which aren’t for winter conditions.
When choosing either all-season tires or all-weather tires for my electric car I’ll have to consider that they have low rolling resistance like my winter tire for increased range on my electric car. Moving my car should not use up my car’s entire charge.
I’m considering buying the Nokian WR G4 because it seems to be the best for my Nissan Leaf. This all-weather tire efficiently routes rain, snow, and slush away from the tire’s contact surface ensuring that it can perform well when switched with the Hakkapeliitta R3 to extend their lives. The WR G4 combines the high-performance, all-season handling and reliable winter grip of winter tires to make it a true all-weather tire.
Investing in tires in general for my Nissan Leaf and electric cars, in general, requires that the tires bring out the best in my ride. Electric cars are powerful and heavy, so they need the best tires with low rolling resistance to increase my driving range. Studded and non-studded winter tires, all-weather, and all-season tires providing similar levels of stability and comfort for my electric car are essential in my selection process. Both the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 and the Nokian WR G4 are excellent tires for my Nissan Leaf with other tires suited for other cars which offer nearly the same level of stability and comfort provided by other tires.
