Tires are more than just round, black things on the bottom of a car. The tires are the only thing between you and the road. So, tires are carefully chosen so that your Subaru always runs at its best and keeps you as safe as possible. No matter what kind of car or model you have, some tricks are known to make the tires last longer. With an electric car like the new Subaru Solterra, they become even more critical for both performance and your wallet.
For your Subaru Solterra to give you the best driving experience, you need the right tires. As the only part of the car that touches the road directly, the tires are also essential for safety. This is true no matter what kind of car you drive, where you use it, what time of year it is, or how you drive.
But different tires are very different from one another. Even though all tires are round and black, they are all good at different things.
Winter tires are the most straightforward example. These have a rubber compound that gives them a good grip even when the temperature is below zero. However, they have less grip and wear resistance in the summer.
The same goes for other things about a tire, like how it rolls and how well it grips different surfaces, how loud it is, and how much weight it can carry.
When choosing tires for a car, the company that makes them has to balance the car's features and the tire's features. So, several carefully selected and tested tires for every Subaru help it perform well in all conditions. Your Subaru shop also knows which tires will work best for your car.
Some features unique to electric cars were also added to the Subaru Solterra. They have an effect on which tires are best. At the same time, they allow you to improve how you drive so that the car and its tires perform at their best.
Batteries add weight to an electric car. This means that the tires of an electric car have to be able to handle loads that were usually only seen on cars that are bigger than it. Because an electric motor can produce power right away and has the most torque, the drive grip needs to be higher than in a similar car with a combustion engine so that the car can move faster from a stop. On top of that, tires must move as quickly and quietly as possible. This is done to get the most out of the range, and so that road noise can be heard better when the sounds of a car with an internal combustion engine aren't there.
All of these things were among the requirements that Subaru gave its suppliers when it chose the tires for the Subaru Solterra. Everything to get tires with the best driving qualities, the best gas mileage, and the highest level of safety possible.
In the end, it's always up to the driver! How we drive our car directly affects how well it runs, how well it gets gas mileage, and most importantly, how safe it is. As a driver of Solterra, the SUBARU Care app can help you by giving tips on driving better. But you can get a head start by doing a few simple things right away that will make a big difference in how well your car runs and how much money you spend on tires.
Correct tire pressure makes the trip last longer. Tire pressure should be checked and changed often. When the tire pressure is proper, it has the best grip, rolls more efficiently, and lasts longer. This is true no matter what kind of engine or drivetrain the car has, but increased rolling resistance has a more significant effect on energy use in an electric car. Getting the ring pressure right can save a lot of kW and money.
To get there faster, slow down. When there is more air resistance, it has a more considerable effect on an electric car. You can immediately save money on electricity by taking your foot off the gas and focusing on keeping a steady speed. Even going faster saves little time over short distances. If a car has a more extended range, it must stop less often and for shorter amounts of time to charge the batteries. In the long run, a slower and more even speed means that the tires wear out more slowly and last longer.
With the engine brake, you can go farther. When you brake or slow down in Subaru Solterra, the brake energy regeneration charges the batteries. In addition to making each charge last a little longer, this feature can make the tires last longer. With a bit of planning and changing how hard the electric motors brake, the speed can be adjusted to match the traffic flow with just the gas pedal. The paddles behind the steering wheel can be used to change how the brakes work. When used right, it makes driving smoother, saving kW. But less stopping and starting also means less wear on the tires, so that round, black thing under the car can go even further.