The EU tyre label
Understanding the EU tyre label
Since 2021, new tyres for passenger cars, vans and trucks carry a uniform EU label with three ratings. It says a lot about a tyre – but not everything.
1. Fuel efficiency (A to E)
Measures rolling resistance. The lower the rolling resistance, the less energy is lost as the tyre rolls. For a passenger car, the difference between class A and class E is roughly 0.5 litres of fuel per 100 km – for a long-haul truck the difference over a year is considerable.
2. Wet grip (A to E)
Measures braking distance on wet roads. This is the most safety-relevant value on the label. Between A and E there can be around 18 metres in an emergency stop from 80 km/h – about four car lengths.
3. External rolling noise
Given in decibels plus a rating of A, B or C. It measures the noise the tyre emits to the outside – not necessarily what you hear inside the car.
Snow and ice grip
Two pictograms may also be printed:
- Three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF): the tyre has passed the standardised snow grip test. In Austria this symbol is decisive for the winter tyre requirement.
- Icicle: passed the ice grip test – applies to passenger car tyres only.
What the label does not show
Aquaplaning behaviour, dry braking distance, handling, mileage and comfort are not covered. In practice a tyre rated B/A may suit you better than one rated A/A – depending on the vehicle and use.
For truck tyres, it is also worth checking whether the casing can be retreaded and which axle the tyre is approved for (steer, drive or trailer).
Where can I find the values?
The label values are shown on each product page under "Specifications", where the manufacturer has provided them. If a value is missing, ask us – we will check the data sheet.