Combining short braking distances on wet and dry roads with low rolling resistance has in the past always been considered extremely problematic. Europe's leading tire manufacturer Continental has now launched a product which resolves this problem with apparent ease - the new ContiEcoContact™ 5. The tire engineers did, however, have to tread new ground in terms of all the tire elements involved - casing, compound, tire contour and tread pattern design - in order to achieve the high level of progress.
The main target conflicts when reducing rolling resistance relate to the safety-relevant characteristics of a tire. This means that the conflict between rolling resistance and handling can be influenced via the design, whilst the tire compound can assist in the problem area of low rolling resistance and short braking distances in the wet, changing the tire contour allows mileage performance to be enhanced, and the tread pattern can have a positive effect on braking characteristics in the wet. The sum total of the potential improvements helps the new tire to achieve a considerably better overall performance with even more balanced driving characteristics. The engineers at Continental therefore focused on all these areas in order to meet the high requirements made on the new tire for compact cars and large saloons.
Continental SSR Tires
SSR stands for SelfSupportingRunflat Tire
The SSR principle:
Unlike conventional tires, the SSR principle is based on a reinforced self-supporting sidewall. This prevents the inside of the tire from getting pinched between the road and the rim and from slipping into the rim well in the event of a loss of inflation. The SSR's reinforced sidewall enables the car to continue on its way at a maximum speed of 80 km/h (50 mph) for up to 80 km (50 miles), depending on road conditions and vehicle weight.
Communication between tire and driver
Because of the good riding comfort SSR tires afford, drivers hardly notice any pressure loss in the event of a flat, to increase both safety in the event of a flat and performance during normal driving, the SSR system is supplied together with an inflation warning system – either TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) or DDS (Deflation Detection System), both of which were likewise developed by Continental. These warning systems alert the driver when a drop in inflation pressure requires investigation via a display on the instrument panel.
SSR runflat tires offer crucial advantages
With SSR tires you remain mobile in the event of a flat tire
You can reach your destination or tire service facility without the bother of having to replace a flat tire with the spare tire
Compatible with standard rims
Simple mounting
Saves room and weight, and thus fuel, giving you as much as 3 cubic feet more cargo area
The Tire Labeling Ordinance specifies the information requirements on fuel efficiency, wet grip and external rolling noise from tires. In addition, reference is made to the winter properties of the product.
The EU 1222/2009 regulation that has been in force since November 1st, 2012 has been revised and will be replaced by regulation EU 2020/740 from May 1st, 2021; From this point on, new requirements apply. The rating classes for fuel efficiency, wet grip and exterior noise have been changed and the layout of the EU label has been adjusted. The manufacturer's product data sheets stored in the EU database can be downloaded via a QR code integrated into the label. Information on snow grip and ice grip is also newly included for tires that meet these criteria.
The following tires are exempt from the regulation: - tires that are designed exclusively for installation on vehicles that were first registered before October 1, 1990 - retreaded tires (until a corresponding extension of EU VO 2020/740 has taken place) - professional off - Road tires - Racing tires - Tires with additional devices to improve traction, eg studded tires - T-type emergency tires - Tires with a permissible speed below 80 km/h - Tires for rims with a nominal diameter ≤ 254 mm or ≥ 635 mm
The criteria and evaluation classes at a glance
fuel efficiency
The fuel consumption depends on the rolling resistance of the tyres, the vehicle itself, the driving conditions and the driving style of the driver. The measured rolling resistance (rolling resistance coefficient) of the tire is divided into classes A (highest efficiency) to E (lowest efficiency).
If a vehicle is completely equipped with class A tires, a consumption reduction of up to 7.5%* is possible compared to class E tyres. In the case of commercial vehicles, it can even be higher. (Source: European Commission Impact Assessment * when measured according to the test methods set out in Regulation (EU) 2020/740)
Please note: Fuel consumption depends to a large extent on your own driving style and can be significantly reduced by driving in an environmentally friendly manner. Tire pressure should be checked regularly to improve fuel efficiency.
wet grip
Wet grip is divided into classes A (shortest braking distance) - E (longest braking distance).
If a car is equipped with class A tires, compared to class E tires, a braking distance of up to 18 m can be reduced when braking from 80 km/h (on a road surface with average grip).* *Source: wdk Economic Association of the German Rubber Industry eV
Please note: Traffic safety depends to a large extent on your own driving style. The stopping distances must always be observed. Tire pressure should be checked regularly to improve wet grip.
External rolling noise
The noise emitted by a tire affects the overall volume of the vehicle and affects not only your own driving comfort, but also the noise pollution of the environment. In the EU tire label, the external rolling noise is divided into 3 classes from A (lowest rolling noise) - C (highest rolling noise), measured in decibels (dB) and compared with the European noise emission limit values for external tire rolling noise.
A The pictogram with the classification "A" indicates that the tire's external rolling noise is more than 3 dB below the EU limit value in force until 2016. B The "B" classification means that the tyre's external rolling noise is up to 3 dB below or equal to the EU limit value in force until 2016. C The classification "C" indicates that the specified limit value is exceeded.
C
B
71dB
