In 2024, Continental supplied tyres to 18 of the world’s 20 highest-volume manufacturers of fully electric vehicles. These include manufacturers such as BYD, Geely, Volkswagen, NIO, Mercedes-Benz and Renault. In each of the three regions, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), North, South and Central America (the Americas) and Asia-Pacific (APAC), the premium tyre manufacturer supplies nine of the 10 highest-volume electric vehicle manufacturers with original equipment tyres. According to the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), every fifth car sold worldwide is already electrically powered.
Low rolling resistance, high efficiency and quiet rolling noise are the keys to success
Electric vehicles place particular demands on tyres because they are generally heavier than comparable combustion-engine vehicles due to the weight of the batteries. Additionally, they generate instant torque when starting off. The increase in load and the higher torque this causes can lead to increased tyre abrasion. Electric vehicles are also quieter than vehicles with a combustion engine, which results in a more noticeable rolling noise of the tyres.
Continental began optimising its tyres for reduced rolling resistance, quieter rolling noise and high mileage at an early stage – long before electric vehicles became mainstream. The tyre manufacturer introduced its first tyre line specifically designed for energy efficiency back in 1993 – the ContiEcoContact. The seventh generation of the EcoContact was recently launched. On the EcoContact 7, a specially optimised sidewall design ensures improved aerodynamics and thus enhanced energy efficiency. Continental’s developers combined a number of technologies to achieve this. One element is the “aerodimple” structure borrowed from golf balls. Recesses embedded in the sidewalls reduce the air turbulence behind the tyres, so the vehicle requires less energy to move them. This makes the EcoContact 7 an ideal solution for both combustion-engine and electric cars.
