Michelin's mission: Take EV tire innovation, education further

GREENVILLE, S.C.—When it comes to EVs, there are challenges ahead. Plenty of them.

And when it comes to consumer adoption of EV technology, specifically, there is one thing that seems to stand out: Range anxiety.

Americans just aren't convinced they can get the most out of their batteries.

But Michelin wants to prove they can. And according to Alexis Garcin, Michelin North America Inc. CEO and president, all it takes is the right tire.

That's right, tire.

It is, after all, the only component that connects the vehicle itself to the roadway. And the performance of the tires fitted on the vehicles change the game entirely.

"Let's be frank," Garcin said during a Feb. 2 media roundtable. "(EV technology) places the tire today as the most important range extending feature of an electric vehicle."

The problem? Drivers don't know that.

And that disconnect in the understanding of just how important tires are to the overall performance of the electric vehicle—particularly in relation to range—may be more prevalent than you think.

Michelin, in the fall, conducted an online survey of adult drivers to gauge their understanding and acceptance of electric vehicles and the role that tires play in maximizing their performances. The results, Garcin said, were "surprising."

"Basically, 83 percent of consumers do not really understand what kind of EV tires they need, or what tires they need for their electric vehicle," Garcin said, detailing some of survey's findings. "Most importantly—or I would say surprisingly—52 percent of the people that are already driving an electric car do not really know what kind of tire they need for their car."

So how do you change that?

For Michelin, the solution is simple: Be the message. Spread the word.

"We, Michelin, as a leader in this category, we think it is our job to educate consumers that, in the end, all tires are not the same," Garcin said. "And that, yes, tires can impact, as I said, the range of the car."

Michelin is uniquely positioned to lead in these educational efforts because it has the innovation and material science needed in this moment, Garcin said. The company continues to find ways to manipulate the magic triangle to simultaneously maximize rolling resistance, wear and wet grip to push the capabilities of its tires further without compromising the safety or overall performance.

And do it all, of course, more sustainably.

That's exactly the kind of science the auto industry needs. Because EVs—with their weight, torque and regenerative braking—change the performance expectations of tires in ways that consumers—and even some OEMs—don't fully understand, Garcin said. These are demands that, in some cases, can lead to 20-percent faster treadwear.

"Different tires can have different speed of wear, could have different grip or wet performance overall. And because of our technologies, we are able to master all those performances," Garcin said. "That's why you see the Michelin brand fitted on eight of 10 EVs in the U.S."

Yep. Michelin has managed to wrestle the magic triangle into shape, Garcin said.

EV drivers, meet the Pilot Sport EV.

"That tire, that is specifically designed for electric vehicles, is able to improve the range of the car by up to 37 miles and, at the same time, reduce the noise by 20 percent," Garcin said. "And that is the way, again, to contribute to a better mobility, but in the end, make the tire an even more important piece of the car than it is today."

So how, exactly, do you do what Michelin intends to do? How do you best reach drivers—of EVs and ICE vehicles—with the message that their tires matter?

Well, you start here.

And also here.

You find those places in the social media sphere where you know your message can be most effective and you leverage them as best as you can.

And you lean into your partnerships—those relationships you've established with OEMs and tire dealers alike to ensure the right messages are reaching the right audience.

"There are many ways to educate consumers about tires. Whether it is a collaborative effort with tire dealers that work with consumers every day or partnering with companies that share a vision of sustainability, Michelin believes that a combination of these initiatives will help reach the consumer in a unique way," the company said in a statement.

And all of that is just a continuation and extension of steps Michelin already has taken.

Last year, the tire maker teamed up with Volta Inc., a California-based company that operates a network of EV charging stations nationwide. By harnessing the opportunity to reach EV drivers and others with the "eye-catching digital screens" on the charging stations, Michelin was able to tailor its message to EV drivers.

And because the charging stations are situated near high-traffic areas of commerce—grocery stores, banks and shopping centers—Michelin was able to reach non-EV drivers as well.

According to third-party analysis, Volta said, that campaign alone increased awareness of Michelin EV-specific tires by 70 percent.

That's the power of educational efforts. And it's one reason the Volta partnership is ongoing.

For consumers across the board, the key to unlocking EVs' potential is experience.

Once drivers experience the power and quiet rides of EV models, they're likely to make the switch. Permanently.

For some, Garcin said, the switch happened quickly. For others it may take more time. But according to research conducted by Michelin in the fall of 2022, the popularity—and acceptance—of EVs is trending positively.

"When you have large innovation, you have some people that are really attracted by that, and they are the first movers. I think we have passed that point, obviously," Garcin said. "And now, I think this is a trend that is here to stay. And again, when you look at the survey … you can see that once you have shifted to an EV, in 80 percent of the cases, your next purchase will be an EV. So I think there is kind of a snowball effect that is happening right now."

In the U.S. in 2022, EV sales improved 65 percent year-over-year, hitting a record-setting 800,000-plus unit mark, according to Kelley Blue Book estimates. Overall, electric models accounted for about 5.8 percent of the market share, up from 3.2 percent in 2021.

This year, Cox Automotive says you can expect more of the same. In the coming 12 months, EV sales, it noted in a Jan. 13 news release, are likely to eclipse the 1 million-unit mark for the first time ever.

According to analysis presented during the Center for Automotive Research's Management Briefing Seminars last summer, LMC Automotive expects EVs to hit their stride on a global scale, topping the 16 million-unit sales mark by 2025.

By 2034, global EV sales should account for about half of the market share, LMC said. And that's a long way from the 7-percent mark in 2021.

It also means good news for an auto industry in the midst of an electrification evolution, but there's a lot more to consider when looking at the bigger picture, Cox said. Especially in the U.S.

"Even with rapid EV growth, roughly 94 percent of new vehicles sold in the U.S. last year had a gas tank in the back and a combustion engine up front," Cox said. "This is the EV Decade, but the market is a long way from becoming an EV market."

For Michelin, that's OK. Because it's right in the middle of that transition where Michelin feels it can have the biggest impact in driving next-generation mobility forward.

All it takes, Garcin said, is a whole lot of innovative thinking and a little educational push.

"That is why, again, bringing technologies to the market and educating consumers can help the market moving forward on that electrification of the car parc while maximizing the performance of their tire and increasing the range of the car without sacrificing the wear," Garcin said. "That is, again, a game-changing situation for us that will leverage all the know-how we have been building over the last decades."