Cars: Rolling in money

By Romana King on August 13, 2010
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Do those new 'energy saver' low rolling resistance tires really save you cash at the gas pump? We ran the numbers to find out.

Looking to save at the pump? Recent TV ads from Michelin and Canadian Tire have been touting a novel idea: ultra-scientific “energy saver” tires made of a new material that lowers your road resistance so you get better mileage. Sounds great, but they’re pricey. Can you save enough on fuel to make up for the cost of the tires? According to Eugene Petersen, Tire Program leader at Consumer Reports, these new tires do indeed save gas by lowering the resistance a tire must overcome as it rolls along the road. And they do it without being so slippery that they negatively affect your braking distance—an amazing engineering feat. The problem is that rolling resistance really doesn’t have a huge impact on your fuel economy to begin with, so lowering that resistance doesn’t have a big effect. To see whether you come out ahead by switching, consider a typical compact car, such as the Volkswagen Golf. Replacing all four tires with basic all-season tires, like the Motomaster AS, would cost the driver roughly $280. In comparison, replacing all four tires with a lower rolling resistance tire, such as the Michelin Energy Saver AS, would cost the driver $580—for a difference of $300. The Michelin Green Meter website states that our driver would save $40 per year at the gas pump by switching to the Energy Saver tires. That means that over a six-year tire lifespan, if you drive a typical 18,000 km a year, you’ll save about $240. So you pretty much break even. Of course you still do save on gas, which is good for the environment, so it may be worth making the switch. However, if you’re looking to save a lot of dough, there are better ways. For example, tests conducted by Edmunds.com show that drivers with less aggressive tendencies use 30% less fuel. As well, inflating regular tires properly can save you 3% on your annual fuel costs. In short, most drivers will save more money with a $10 tire pressure gauge and a bit more patience on the road. Cost for a set of four low rolling resistance tires Michelin Energy Saver $578.16 Motomaster AW $279.92 Michelin TPaw Touring $419.92 Goodyear Assurance Fuel MAX $451.44 Hankook Optimo H727 $499.80 (Tire size: 195/65R15, tax not included)