TROY, Mich. — The satisfaction gap between original equipment (OE) tires for electric vehicles (EVs) and gas-powered vehicles is widening as EV owners say their tires are wearing faster, according to J.D. Power.
The research company's 2024 U.S. Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study indicated that EV owners expect tire wear to be similar to gas-powered-vehicle tire wear, despite EV tires' naturally wearing faster due to greater vehicle weight and higher torque.
"The widening satisfaction gap between EVs and gas-powered vehicles highlights an opportunity for tire manufacturers and auto makers to educate EV owners on the differences in performance," Ashley Edgar, senior director of benchmarking and alternative mobility at J.D. Power, said.
"Additionally, because of the inherit conflict of maximizing vehicle range and optimizing tire wear for EVs, tire manufacturers and auto makers need to work together to overcome the challenge without completely sacrificing tire performance in other areas, especially as the EV market continues to increase."
The study measured tire owner satisfaction in four areas: tire ride, tire wear, tire traction/handling and tire appearance. The study was based on responses from 31,414 owners of 2022 and 2023 model-year vehicles and was conducted from August through December 2023.
