How tyres impact your costs
As tyres represent only 2 to 5% of your fleet budget1, they are often considered a minor expense. However, they play a crucial role in the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), which encompasses all direct and indirect costs over a vehicle’s lifecycle.
In particular, they play a role in fuel efficiency, maintenance requirements and vehicle downtime. These factors combined mean that tyres actually influence more than 50% of your operating costs(1).
Fleet managers who opt for cheap tyres risk replacing their rubber more frequently, reduced durability and increased operational disruption. Quality tyres, on the other hand, offer better longevity, minimise replacement cycles and operational inefficiencies.
Save money with better fuel efficiency and mileage performance
Fuel consumption is one of the biggest expenses in running a truck fleet and tyres play a crucial role here.
Rolling resistance (the friction between tyres and the road) is responsible for up to 30% of the energy consumed by a vehicle (2).
Cheap tyres may reduce initial costs, but if they have a higher rolling resistance, this will mean higher fuel consumption. Conversely, a reduction in rolling resistance translates directly into lower fuel costs.
Switching from tyres with a C label to a B label for fuel efficiency, for example, saves 0.2 litres per 100 km, representing a saving of around €100 per year per vehicle (3).
The mileage performance of premium tyres is also more profitable over the long term, thanks to the robustness of the casing which reduces the risks of breakdown.
Boost your fleet's productivity
Operational efficiency is critical for fleet managers. Every tyre-related breakdown or replacement risks disrupting deliveries, increasing costs and negatively impacting customer satisfaction. Choosing durable quality tyres significantly reduces these interruptions.
Upgrading to premium quality tyres and performing regular maintenance can lower breakdown rates by 25%(4).
For example, a fleet of 50 vehicles could save an average of €9375 annually by reducing breakdowns and downtime(4).
By minimising time spent in workshops, quality tyres enhance overall fleet productivity.
Reduce long-term costs with multi-life truck tyres
Multi-life tyres, designed for processes like regrooving and retreading, extend their lifespan and reduce operational costs. These tyres allow fleets to achieve greater mileage without compromising safety or performance.
Regrooving can increase the mileage performance of tyres by up to 25%(5), helping fleets optimise costs over the tyre’s lifecycle. Note that a premium tyre has a higher acceptance rate for regrooving because under the tread there is an additional layer of base rubber which allows regrooving to be completed safely, without the risk of touching the plies, which is not the case with budget tyres.
Retreaded tyres also contribute to sustainability by reducing raw material consumption. On average, reusing a tyre casing reduces the raw materials needed by approximately 70% compared to manufacturing a new tyre(6). This approach aligns with the principles of a circular economy, allowing fleets to save on both costs and environmental impact.
Michelin Infinicoil technology ensures that the casing remains robust throughout its life, including 2 or 3 retreads.
Simplify fleet management
Managing a fleet involves dealing with multiple challenges, including tyre inventory and maintenance. Digital tools like the Michelin Calculators simplify these processes. These free tools allow fleet managers to track tyre performance, calculate cost savings, and optimise fleet operations more effectively.
Support your sustainability goals
Sustainability is a growing priority for fleets and quality tyres are undeniably a better choice for meeting it.
With lower rolling resistance, they considerably reduce CO2 emissions.
With multiple lives thanks to their retreadability, they can save up to 115 kg of CO2 per tyre(7) by reducing the use of raw materials and optimising fuel efficiency vs using new tyres.
Choosing sustainable tyres allows you to align with corporate social responsibility objectives and regulatory standards. This enhances your company's reputation while delivering measurable environmental benefits.
Michelin tyres, a circular economy design
Make the smart investment!
In conclusion, initial savings from cheap tyres can be deceptive. Over time, their higher fuel consumption, shorter life and increased maintenance requirements erode these savings.
Conversely, opting for quality tyres offers measurable benefits, including:
Reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions
Fewer breakdowns and less downtime
Improved durability and operational efficiency
Quality tyres are an investment in the long-term profitability of your fleet.
Other articles to find out more:
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Make smarter tyre choices with the European tyre label
Since 2012 the European tyre label has helped fleet owners go beyond tread patterns and lifespan when choosing truck tyres by offering clear, standardised ratings for fuel efficiency, noise levels and wet grip tyre performance. Revamped in May 2021, EU tyre labelling system now makes it easier to find tyres that match your real-world needs—and starting in 2026, it also helps check your compliance with EU Taxonomy regulations. “Choosing the right truck tyres is not always easy,” explains Ana Gonzalez, European Product Marketing Manager for Michelin’s Long Distance Transport Business Line. “It’s important for fleet owners to understand that not all criteria on the European tyre label carry the same weight for every business.” Given the impact of these factors, fleet owners need to prioritise their criteria based on their use case. Keep reading to find the best fit for your fleet!View more -
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(1) Source: Michelin internal analysis.
(2) Michelin internal calculation made with Vecto tool, 2023.
(3) Based on Value Tool for an internal simulation with C label tyres on Rolling Resistance on average (7.4 kg/tons) vs B label tyres on Rolling Resistance on average (6.2 kg/tons) for 1 LCV with 4 tyres, with an annual mileage per vehicle of 25,000 km (a) with on average fuel cost of 1.51€ TTC/L (b). (a) https://mobility-observatory.arval.fr/tco-scope-2023 (p.34) - Annual Mileage 25,000 km. (b) Diesel prices around the world, 26-Jun-2023 GlobalPetrolPrices.com.
(4) Michelin internal calculation modelled on a realistic market example, based on 50 articulated vehicles covering 100,000 km/year, reducing their total annual breakdowns by 25% (from four to three incidents per million km per year), by switching from a Tier 2/Tier 3 tyre set with irregular inspections to the use of a Premium Tier 1 tyre set with regular inspections (wear and pressure) with an average breakdown cost of €1,000 (average ONCall cost per breakdown 2023) and a downtime cost (loss of business and/or customer penalty and/or driver’s hourly cost) of €1,200 per breakdown.
(5) Compared to a worn non-regrooved Michelin tyre. Information based on the recommendations made by the French tyre manufacturers’ federation (TNPF) in 2019, according to which the regrooving of worn tyres increases tyre lifetime by using all the available rubber.
(6) According to a TNPF publication from 2023: “retreading, which, by reusing the casing that represents approximately 70% of a tyre’s weight” (sic).
(7) The CO2 savings from the Michelin multi-life model, are accentuated thanks to the fuel savings linked to regrooving: up to 5.4%. savings in fuel consumption. Internal study carried out at the Michelin test tracks in Ladoux (France) on 5 May 2021, under DEKRA supervision (report No. 21CPAEXT-030). For the comparison between new tyres and regrooved tyres (R5 mm), two identical Volvo FH500 trucks were used, fitted with 315/70 R 22.5 Michelin X® LINE ENERGY™ Z2 & D2 tyres and each towing a fully loaded (40 tonnes) Schmitz Cargobull trailer fitted
with 385/55 R 22.5 Michelin X® LINE ENERGY™ T tyres at identical pressures (8.5 b, 7.5 b and 9.0 b). Results may vary depending on weather conditions, road type, tyre size and driving style). According to a study under real conditions of use, on tyre size 315/70 R 22.5 on the drive and steering axles of a 4x2 truck, and having exceeded 50% wear, for international and national long distance use. The average mileage for Michelin X® LINE ENERGY™ Z2 and Michelin X® LINE ENERGY™ D2 tyres is 232,200 km before regrooving* (*Michelin internal source and calculation, based on measurements taken by the Michelin teams during customer inspections on 488 axles, in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, and Turkey, over the period from 2020 to 2023) and a simulation based on the results collected, with extrapolation of the lifespan until 3 mm remains. The results may vary depending on the weather and road conditions. The view is that Michelin tyres travel up to 25% (5) further thanks to regrooving, i.e. 58,050 km (232,200 x 25%). The fuel savings are calculated over the distance travelled by the regrooved tyres (58,050 km) at an average consumption of 29.5 L/100 km for new tyres and 27.91 L/100 km for regrooved tyres (source: DEKRA report No. 21CPAEXT-030). 29.5 x 5.4%, i.e., a saving of 1.59 L/100 km for an articulated truck and tri-axle trailer (thus 12 tyres) Consequently, there is a saving of 0.13 L/100 km per tyre (1.59 L/12), i.e., 0.13 L x 58,050 km/100 = 77 litres of fuel saved when driving on regrooved tyres, thus a saving of 77 litres of diesel x 3.24 kg of CO2 = 251 kg of CO2.
The emissions factor of 3.24 kg of CO2 for 1 litre of diesel comes from the life cycle assessment conducted by ADEME for pure diesel. It includes emissions during the diesel production stages (17%) and during its combustion (83%). Source: ADEME. Base Empreinte, Étude Carbone, Version 22.0.0, 02/08/2022. Thus 77 x 3.24 kg of CO2 = 251 kg of CO2.
*Internal study based on the Michelin truck tyre sizes most sold on the European market: 315/80 R 22.5, 315/70 R 22.5 and 385/65 R 22.5.