NEW EU TIRE LABEL INFORMATION

1st May 2021

The European Union has expressed its commitment to building an Energy Union with a forward‐looking climate policy. Fuel efficiency is a crucial element of that and the associated energy policy framework.

The transport sector reportedly accounts for a third of the Union’s energy consumption, with road transport being responsible for about 22 % of the Union’s total greenhouse gas emissions in 2015.

Tires, mainly because of their rolling resistance, account for 20 to 30 % of the fuel consumption of vehicles. A reduction in the rolling resistance of tires would therefore contribute significantly to the fuel efficiency of road transport and thus to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

In order to meet the challenge of reducing the CO2 emissions of road transport, Member States, in cooperation with the Commission, are working to create frameworks that encourage innovation with regard to fuel‐efficient and safe tires.

Improving the labelling of tires will enable consumers to obtain more relevant and more comparable information on fuel efficiency, safety and noise and to take cost‐effective and environmentally friendly decisions when purchasing tires.

From Saturday 1^st May 2021, a new label will be applied to all new tires to be made available in the European Union from that date onwards. The label has updated grading for Fuel Efficiency, Wet Grip (stopping distance on a wet surface) and tire rolling sound emission.

Below is an example of how the new EU label will look for our Cooper brand:

What does the label mean?

FUEL EFFICIENCY (Rolling Resistance)

5 classes from E (least efficient) to A (most efficient)

Effect may vary among vehicles and driving conditions, but the difference between a E and an A class for a complete set of tires could reduce fuel consumption by up to 7.5 %* and even more in case of trucks.

Note: fuel savings and road safety depend heavily on the behavior of drivers and eco‐driving can significantly reduce fuel consumption.

WET GRIP (Braking Performance)

5 classes from E (longest braking distances) to A (shortest braking distances)

Effect may vary among vehicles and driving conditions, but in the case of full braking, the difference between a E and an A class for a set of four identical tires could be up to 30% shorter braking distance (e.g. for a typical passenger car driving at 80 km/h speed this could be up to 18m shorter braking distance)*.

Note: stopping distances must always be respected.

NOISE (Exterior Rolling Noise)

In addition to the noise value in Decibel dB(A) a letter (from A to C) displays whether the tire external rolling noise performance is above the United Nation Reg 117 mandatory limit value
(Class C = noisier tire), the tire noise is higher than the UN limit
(Class B = average tire) or more than 3 dB below the limit value
(Class A = low noise tire).
NB: The tire external rolling noise is not entirely correlated to vehicle interior noise.

In addition to the Fuel Efficiency (Rolling Resistance), Wet Grip and tyre rolling sound emission, the label will also display if the tyre is suitable for Snow and Ice use via the following graphics:

SNOW ICE

The new Label will also feature a QR Code that can take users to the EPREL Database (European Product Database for Energy Labelling). Scanning the QR code will allow consumers to access the information of each specific tyre. As well as accessing the label, it will also be possible to see a Product Information Sheet which gives details of the tyre’s Range/Size/Load and Speed, along with its label grades. An example of this Product Information Sheet is set out below:

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the label?

The EU Tire Label can be found on all applicable tires sold in the EU market. As well as the physical tire label, all of our tires that are within the scope of the new labelling regulation are registered on the EPREL (European Product Database for Energy Labelling) Database.

What is the tire label?

A tire label provides specific information regarding tire performance for Fuel Efficiency, Wet Grip, Exterior Noise, Snow and Ice Performance (if applicable).

Do all Products require a label?

Some of our tires are not within the scope of the new labelling regulation. For example, POR (Professional Off Road) or tires designed to be fitted only on vehicles registered for the first time before 1 October 1990, are exempt.

Why do we have labels?

The tire label is a requirement from the European Commission to provide information about the product performance so that products can be readily compared between manufactures. The goal is to encourage safer, more fuel efficient and quieter products.

How do I recognise a new label?

The most obvious difference is that the new tire label will have a QR Code, and the addition of the Snow and Ice graphic (if applicable)

When is the new label coming into force?

The new label will come into force on Saturday 1^st May 2021 and will apply to all relevant tires made available within the EU market from that date. It will not apply to tires made available within the EU market prior to Saturday 1^st May 2021 or where the tires are exempt from labelling requirements.

Where can I find the new label?

You will be able to find the new label for each product via the Cooper website, on the EPREL Database and on the tires themselves. Your local dealer should also be able to present it to you.

What do the label classes mean?

Fuel Efficiency, Wet Grip (stopping distance on a wet surface) and tire rolling sound emission.

The label grading goes from A to E (where A is awarded for the best graded performance).

Will old labelled tires still be available for purchase after 1st May 2021?

Yes. Tires made available to the EU market before Saturday 1^st May 2021 may physically reach the market after this date and, as such, will still have the old label. However, the tires will be compliant with the applicable labelling obligations and, in most cases, will be physically unchanged.

Will you re-label existing stocks of tires?

No. We are taking steps to ensure that our inventory of tires is made available within the EU market prior to Saturday 1^st May 2021, meaning that they are able to be sold with the existing label in place. This will not affect the way you do business with us, nor the availability of tires.