winter tires effect on range
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
Joined
·
1,342 Posts
About 10%. They are also a lot noisier, at least the Blizaks that I have are. Snow tires are a necessary evil for the Volt because it's FWD not AWD. When the first snow storm hit after I got my Volt I found that I couldn't get out for the driveway of my local Agway because it was on a slight incline, I had to back up and get a running start. I immediately ordered a set of rims from costco.com and when they came I bought a set of Blizaks at Costco, unfortunately Costco doesn't stock rims and they won't even deliver them to their stores, they get dilivered to you and then you have to take them to their store to get the tires put on and mounted.
I replaced the oem tires with all season Continental True Contact, after I went into a ditch taking a corner too fast. The Pure Contacts are good in snow, quiet, comfortable ride, maybe a slight hit on mileage and look good on the car. I went this route to avoid the biannual snow tire summer tire ritual.
10% is about right as a working number, but the fact that the cold itself will reduce range anyway makes it difficult to compare directly. My snows, Michelin X-Ice Xi3's, are *much quieter* than the stock A/S Goodyears, quite an unexpected benefit! The Blizzaks I had earlier were indeed much louder on dry pavement. Additionally, while my impression is that the 'zaks are best in deep snow, the X-Ice is far better in salty slushy ice driving in 'burbs more typical of my use.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=167&affiliate=HK5
*nod* I get a few miles BACK on my range after putting the snows on. Winter rubber composition helps a LOT on rolling resistance, compared to the "all-season" Bridgestones.
Joined
·
23,692 Posts
I lose 5 mies range with snows on.
Joined
·
230 Posts
It's very hard to say, in my opinion, because the cold weather has so much effect on the range. I don't notice much difference when I swap from my all-seasons to my Blizzaks. Most of my range drop is just the cold weather.
I will say, the winter tires are very worth it to me. The Volt is amazing in the snow with a set of winter tires. I don't put winter tires on my other cars because my wife works at a school and doesn't usually have to drive if the weather is too bad. But I need to get into the office regardless, so I want to be confident when I drive in bad weather.
I will say, the winter tires are very worth it to me. The Volt is amazing in the snow with a set of winter tires. I don't put winter tires on my other cars because my wife works at a school and doesn't usually have to drive if the weather is too bad. But I need to get into the office regardless, so I want to be confident when I drive in bad weather.
I really can't tell the difference just by comparing tires themselves. Weather is the biggest factor (for me), we get a lot of snow and freezing conditions. And sometimes when it isn't freezing, many roads are covered with partially melted snow slush... All that eats usable range like a hungry pack of wolves...
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
