Dekkmerking fra EU

The EU label originates from an EU regulation that came into force in November 2012. The original regulation meant that all tires (except studded tires) should be tested by the manufacturers for rolling resistance, wet grip and noise level. As of 1 May 2021, an updated regulation applies, which means that the EU label will be updated to better show the benefits of energy-efficient and safe tires.

All tires manufactured after May 1, 2021 will be labeled with the new labels when they leave the manufacturer. Tires that are manufactured before 1 May 2021 will be labeled with the old labels but will on sale be sold with the new label.

This is completely in order as the tire still has the same properties, it has only received an updated label and can in the new label have received other values. For example, tires that were previously marked with F or G have been marked E in the new marking.

What's new on the label?

  1. The label has been given a completely new look and on the top of the label it is clearly stated that it is EU and energy by having an EU flag at the top left and that it says "Energy" at the top.
  2. The trademark or name of the manufacturer must be placed on the left of the label under the EU flag.
  3. A QR code what't points directly to the information page about the tire in the EU's public product database shall be found at the top right of the label.
  4. The tire identification number in the EU's product database shall be found on the label directly below the QR code.
  5. Below the name of the manufacturer shall the size, loadindex and speedrating of the tire be placed.
  6. Fuel efficiency and wet grip are shown in the same way as before but now only with 5 levels, A to E.
  7. Noise level is displayed as A, B or C instead of filled sound waves. The decibel number is displayed in the same way as before.
  8. Tires that meet the requirements for grip on snow have the symbol for snow grip on the label.
  9. Tires that meet the requirements for grip on ice have the symbol for ice grip on the label.

The old EU label compared to the new EU label. E is replaced with D. F and G is replaced with E.

Drivstoffeffektivitet

Fuel efficiency is stated in five different classes from A to E using a color-coded scale. A is green and is the highest class for fuel efficiency, E is red and is the lowest class for fuel efficiency.

The difference in fuel consumption for a car with Class A tires compared to Class E can be up to 6.5%.

Depending on the road surface, which route you are driving and which driving style you have, the actual fuel efficiency is of course affected.

Våtgrep

Wet grip is specified in five different classes from A to E using a color-coded scale. A is dark blue and is the highest class for wet grip, E is light blue and is the lowest class for wet grip.

The wet grip rating indicates how well a tire performs on wet asphalt. For Nordic studless winter tires that are developed to function optimally in nordic winter conditions with snow and ice, the wet grip rating is a poor measure of how well the tire works in nordic winter conditions.

The difference in braking distance on wet surfaces between a car with class A resp. Class E tires are over 10 meters.

Støynivå

The EU tire noise class measures the external tire noise in decibels. Since most persons not are familiar with decibel values, the noise class is also shown where A is best and C is worst.

  • A: Quiet, is 3dB or more below the European limit value that applies since 2016.
  • B: Reasonable, is between the European limit value from 2016 and 3 dB below.
  • C: Loud, is above the European limit value from 2016.

The difference in external tire noise between a tire with a grade of A and a tyre with a grade of C is at least 6db. And considering that the decibel scale is logarithmic, it means that a tire marked with C can emit as much as 6 times more noise as a tire marked with A.

Snow grip

A tire that meets the requirements set for grip on snow in the regulations are marked with the symbol for grip on snow.

The marking for grip on snow gives an indication of the tire's ability to drive safely in winter road conditions.

Ice grip

A tire that has received an approved test result according to the international test method for ice grip is marked on the label with the symbol for grip on ice.

As the EU marking is not used for studded tires, it is important when choosing winter tires to choose tires according to the conditions that are where you usually drive in winter.

Keep in mind that environmentally friendly driving can significantly reduce fuel consumption and that if the tire pressure is checked regularly, fuel efficiency and grip on wet surfaces will be optimized. When driving, the safety distances must always be followed.

Please note that tires marked with the symbol for ice grip are especially intended for road surfaces that are covered with ice and compact snow and should only be used in very severe climatic conditions (eg low temperatures) and that the use of tires with the ice grip symbol in less severe climatic conditions (such as wet conditions or higher temperatures) can lead to suboptimal performance, especially when it comes to wet grip, handling and wear.