Many tire companies have come forward in the past few years with low rolling resistance tires to assist in better fuel efficiency for cars. Globally, more motorists are looking to saving fuel in their daily commute and investing in a new hybrid car or a more fuel efficient car does not solve the problem in the short term especially for Malaysian car owners who have to fork out high prices for cars. Yes, the prices of hybrid cars have reduced marginally, but if you currently own a car that is still under finance and is less than 5 years old, being middle class Malaysian it is not immediately easy to invest further in a new car. So what is the nest best solution? Well investing in low rolling resistance tires the next time you visit a tire shop
for replacement tires will be your best option. We were invited to Thailand for the regional media launch and test of Bridgestone’s Ecopia tires.
The Ecopia EP100A supersedes the earlier very popular Ecopia EP100 which was one of Bridgestone’s ecologically oriented tires developed for coupe and sedan drivers looking to combine traction, handling and comfort with reduced environmental impact. Ecopia EP100A tires are designed to enhance vehicle fuel economy by reducing tire rolling resistance along with the vehicle’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions during operation. The Ecopia EP100A is designed for both dry and wet conditions.
The Ecopia EP100A has a 15% improved rolling resistance which makes it, on average around 3% more fuel efficient and achieves a reduction in CO2 output of around 3%. The Ecopia EP100 has been introduced as an integrated replacement and original equipment product, targeting compacts and mid-sized passenger cars with 14” to 16” rim sizes in 55 to 65 series.
On our test we found improvement as mentioned by the attending Bridgestone engineers in both rolling resistance whilst maintaining good grip and cornering abilities. There was no reduction in traction in the wet track test which is important in our Asian climate and the sidewall flex was minimal in hard braking which increases the appeal of this Ecopia 100A tire where our motorists are subjected to potholes, uneven curbs and even broken pavements in our daily Klang Valley commute.
