What is EU Tyre labels
EU tyre label first started on 1st Nov, 2012 under Regulation (EU) 2020/740, covers tyres for passenger cars, light trucks, and heavy-duty vehicles. The data provided aims to help consumers to understand more about the tire performance so that consumers can purchase tires that meet their requirements.
Since 1st May, 2021, a new EU tyre label rules is implemented. One of the most important feature is a QR code included for consumers to browse more data. This prevents counterfeit EU Tyre label stick on the tyre.
EU Tyre Look And Data Explained (in simple terms)
⛽Petrol icon – rolling resistance
The lower the resistance, the lesser fuel(or electricity) a car consumes.
Grading scale: A (best) to E (worst)
Swapping a tire that is A grade to E grade, fuel consumption increased by around 7.5%. Carbon dioxide (CO2) produced increases.
Below is a table about the rough difference between each grade. Each difference can be affected by other factors such as vehicle weight, driver driving habit, road conditions and so on.
| Grade Difference | Fuel Use (in Litre per 100km driven) | % increase |
| A to B | Around 0.1 L | Around 1% |
| B to C | Around 0.1 L ~ 0.15 L | Around 1.5% |
| C to D | Around 0.15 L | Around 2% |
| D to E | Around 0.15 L ~ 0.2 L | Around 2 – 2.5% |
🌧️Rain icon – Wet grip
It measures how well a tyre stops on wet road. Linking to braking distance. Higher wet grip grade, shorter braking distance (safer).
Grading scale: A (shortest braking distance), E (longest braking distance)
Each grade difference can mean 3-6 meters longer braking distance at 80km/h
From A to E, difference can exceed 18 meters (about length of 4 cars)
Below is a table about the rough difference between each grade. Each difference can be affected by other factors such as vehicle weight, driver driving habit, road conditions, tire tread condition, tire pressure and so on.
| Grade Difference | Extra Braking Distance (meter) | % increase |
| A to B | +3 – 4m | Around 5% |
| B to C | +3 – 4m | Around 6 – 7% |
| C to D | +4 – 5 m | Around 8 – 9% |
| D to E | +5 – 6 m | Around 10 – 12% |
Based on standardized braking tests from 80km/h to 20km/h on wet asphalt.
And under test conditions, “A” rated wet grip tire braking distance from 80km/h to 20km/h takes around 28m – 30m.
*Note that result may still be different due to other factors
External Noise – in dB unit
Grading scale: 1 wave / A level (quietest) , 2 waves / B level (medium), 3 waves / C level (loudest)
Same model with difference sizes can have different external noise.
(Label referred from EU commission)
Snow icon (middle) showing it is a snow tyre.
FAQ
1. Is EU Tyre label compulsory in different regions?
A: No. Tyres sold in Europe, include England, strictly follow the legal rules implemented and therefore, those tyres require to stick with EU tyre label. However, there are different standards implement to be sold in different regions. For example, Thailand and South Korea have their own legal standards for compulsory tyre label.
Japan and China have voluntary tyre label standard to show their tyres performance to consumers.
Places such as Hong Kong which do not have a legal standard for tyre performance may not show EU tyre label on the tyres. Nonetheless, most tyres stick with the EU tyre label to show consumers that their tyres are up to standard for performance.
U.S. uses another standard called U.T.Q.G. , that all tires are required to be sold in the U.S. market.
2. How to identify counterfeit EU tyre label?
A: Unscrupulous seller trying to use fake EU tyre label to misinform consumers related to the tyres they purchased. One easy way to check is scanning the QR code of the EU tyre label to cross reference with the product specification. If QR code is missing in the EU tyre label, it is highly likely a fake label.
3. How does EU tyre label data obtained?
Manufacturers are required strictly to do a standardized laboratory and track test defined by EU regulations. Authorities will conduct controls to verify accuracy of the declared performance levels.
4. Is EU tyre label data accurately apply to other regions?
No. The result data comes from the standardized asphalt test tracks that built for specific EU reference standards. Road materials are different across different regions such as Asia and U.S. due to seasonal difference, temperature difference, humidity etc.
Hence, “A” rated result not necessarily the same “A” applied to Asia. Nevertheless, it is still a good reference to find out the tyre performance.
5. Is it possible that a wet grip rated “B” tyre overall performance better than a “A” rated?
Yes. EU Tyre label is done in a controlled test. Not all vehicles in the market are used for testing.
The EU Tyre label does not include other aspects of performance such as cornering, handling, aquaplaning etc. Real world performance may differ due to road materials, climate, and driving conditions.
