Tire labels are not new at all, but as of today, May 1, 2021, there will be a new label that, in addition to a new design, will also have more information.
The goal, like the previous one, is to help the consumer make better-informed choices about one of the most important safety features in our car — after all, tires are our only link to the road. Make good choices when it comes time to replace them.
The new tire label is part of Regulation (EU) 2020/740 — check it out for full details.
Tire label. What has changed?
The new tire label maintains some information from the current one, namely where it belongs in the energy efficiency and wet grip scale, and what is its external rolling noise. But there are differences regarding this information, as new ones have been added. Get to know them:
Energy efficiency and wet grip scale — it goes from seven to five levels, that is, if it used to go from “A” (very good) to “G” (bad), now it only goes from “A” to “E”.
Outside rolling noise — in addition to the value in decibels, as was already the case, there is also a noise scale that goes from “A” (very good) to “C” (bad), which takes the place of the previous symbols “)))”.
Tire identification — information that tells us the make and model of the tyre, its dimensions, load capacity index, speed category, tire class — C1 (light passenger vehicles), C2 (light commercial vehicles) or C3 (heavy vehicles ) — and finally the tire type identifier.
Snow and Ice Tire Pictogram — if the tire is suitable for driving on snow and/or ice, this information will appear in the form of two pictograms.
QR code — when read, this QR code allows access to the EPREL (European Product Registry for Energy Labeling) database, which contains the product information sheet that includes not only the labeling values but also the beginning and end of production of the tire model.
exceptions
The introduction of the new tire label takes place from May 1st, 2021 for new tyres. Tires that were for sale under the old label are not required to switch to the new label so for a while it will not be uncommon to see the two tire labels side by side.
There are still tires that no are covered by the new labeling rules:
- Tires for professional off-road use;
- Tires designed exclusively to be fitted to vehicles first registered on October 1, 1990;
- Tires for temporary use;
- Tires with a speed category below 80 km/h;
- Tires with a rim dimension less than 254 mm (10″) or 635 mm (25″);
- Nailed tires;
- Tires for competition vehicles;
- Used tyres, unless coming from countries outside the EU;
- Tires retreaded (temporarily).