The unexpected EV cost adding thousands to your maintenance bill

Petrol prices are going up due to the war in the Middle East, and people are panic-buying. The result? Interest in electric vehicles has rocketed.

Between 28 February and 11 March, the Royal Automotive Club of Victoria (RACV) saw a 190 per cent spike in searches for EVs compared with the two weeks prior.

According to James Pickering, National President of the Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA), “EVs have always been about fuel security”.

“Australia now has over 120 different makes and models of EV, and many more light commercial vehicles to come. We have some of the world’s cheapest new EVs, and a growing second-hand market,” he said. 

“Anyone with the means can now access an affordable vehicle, which runs on Australian electricity.”

But before you panic-buy an EV to save money on fuel, or even if you have one already, there’s one key thing you should know that could mean you spend more on lifetime maintenance.

On average, tyres fitted to electric cars wear out 15 to 30 per cent faster than those on internal combustion-engined (ICE) vehicles.

Why? How much more will it cost? Here’s what you need to know.

As long as the tyres fitted to your car are the correct size, you don’t need to have EV-specific ones, but having a type that’s not designed for an EV could make a difference in how long it lasts. Forbes quotes Michelin as saying EV tyres wear 20 per cent faster and Goodyear says up to 50 per cent.

Electric passenger vehicles are about 20 to 30 per cent heavier than petrol or diesel cars, largely down to the high-voltage battery they use to power them. The additional weight wears the tyres down faster.

Additionally, EVs provide instant torque even at low speeds. The increased acceleration puts the tyres under pressure, again making them wear out quicker.

How high you have your regenerative braking set can also affect how quickly EV tyres wear. The higher the regen, the more braking force the tyres are under and – you guessed it – they start to wear out.

Allan Woods, 58, from Adelaide, is coming up to his third set of tyres on his MY24 BYD Seal, despite owning it for less than two years.

He drives about 50km per day on a mix of freeway and urban roads and insists he “is not a speeder”. 

Yet after just eight months and 27,000km, his Seal Premium needed its first set of new tyres, and a second set by 47,000km.

“I really enjoy the driving experience of an EV and especially the cost of filling up compared to current petrol prices vs recharging costs. My one exception to this is the tyres,” he told Drive.

“I don’t drive fast and take my time. I drive it in Eco, not in Sport or whatever the other one is. I'm not a speeder. I'm nearly 59, and I'm not really a car person.”

The BYD owner said his Seal originally came with Continental EcoContact 6Q rubber, and he swapped like-for-like the first time the tyres needed changing, but is now considering whether that was the right choice.

“I went with Continentals again the second time, as they were recommended by the salesperson at mycar in the city. After just 10,000km, I turned up for a tyre rotation, and they said my tyres were down to 4mm and would require new ones at my next rotation," he said.

“When I took my car for its 40,000km service at a different mycar, which was only 3000km later since I had my tyres rotated, they said they wouldn't last much longer. 

“I understand that due to the weight and torque, they would wear out faster than usual petrol car tyres.

“But I have owned 4x4s for the best part of the last 20 years, such as LandCruisers and Prados, and have always got over 60,000km on my tyres, and these vehicles are heavy and are used for towing a trailer or caravan.

“So I’m saving money on not using petrol, but it’s working out to be a considerable expense on tyres every 12 months. 

“I was trying to be eco-friendly and get an electric car, and obviously it's really good at the moment with the petrol prices, but yeah, it's just chewing out the tyres. 

“I'm saving on one and then spending it out on the other.”

One tyre shop told Drive they replace EV tyres on low kilometres all the time, because the added weight wears them out faster. 

They also said Mr Woods would have experienced less wear on his 4WD vehicles’ tyres despite their heft because they are bigger and have more tread depth.

Most tyre manufacturers already make economical tyres that can go on petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric vehicles.

But according to a 2024 report by Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) entitled Implications of the Transition to EVs, major tyre manufacturers, including Bridgestone, Goodyear, Michelin and Sailun, have responded by developing tyres they claim are EV-specific.

But in doing so, they consider tyre wear to be only one factor.

Noise levels, comfort, grip and efficiency to increase driving range are all critical too. 

EV-specific tyres focus on lowering rolling resistance and reducing tyre weight to cut energy consumption and boost driving range, while also offering self-sealing or run-flat capabilities, since most EVs don’t come with a spare.

Different tyre shops may charge varying amounts for the same tyre, or offer discounts at certain times of year, so it’s worth shopping around.

Here are some of the EV tyres you can buy and how much they start from (often based on smallest size) at the time of writing from different retailers.

Allan Woods said the Continental EcoContact 6Q tyres were the cheapest he could get at the mycar centre at that time for his vehicle, but nonetheless they cost him $1800 all up.

“The Continentals aren't really the best, but, you know, you gotta take into consideration price and all that as well,” he told us.

“I asked online what people were using, and I just got a range of things. A lot of people were saying they’re just still using the Continentals. Some were saying other brands like Pirelli and Michelin.

“A lot of people said they were going through tyres really quickly.”

Although not limited to BYD models, many owners on Facebook report similar issues with their EV tyres.

“Just dropped my Seal off for its 20,000km service, and had them try to tell me to replace my rear tyres, and they tried to tell me it’s really common,” one owner said.

“Replaced Batmans on my Atto 3 after 35,000km. The front two were stuffed, one rear was already replaced, so it just made sense to do the lot,” another added.

“I just replaced the four Batmans at 20,000km. The front ones were worn. I put a set of Pirelli Powergys on. They seem very good so far, low rolling resistance and very good in the wet. Paid $220 a tyre,” said an owner.

Addressing Mr Woods’s concerns, a BYD spokesperson said: “There are multiple factors that affect tyre wear, not to mention ensuring the tyres are inflated to placard recommendations".

“EV vehicles generally run on higher tyre pressures than comparable petrol cars, and sometimes this can be unintentionally overlooked," the spokesperson said.

“BYD has a range of tyre manufacturers, with specific manufacturers supplying tyres for specific models. This is standard industry practice.

"BYD only fits tyres that are developed and approved for that model, which may include tyres from more than one manufacturer, in which case, the next-in-line tyre is fitted at the factory.”

There are some practical ways you can try to eke more mileage out of your tyres, as well as some developments on the horizon that could make a difference in the long run.

Firstly, take it easy. Being in a rush to accelerate off the line will not help. Conversely, consider a lower level of regenerative braking where possible to ease the pressure on your tyres.

Many car makers, such as BYD, now recommend rotating your tyres every 10,000km to manage even wear.

Keep an eye on your tyre pressures too by checking them regularly, and get a wheel alignment if you’ve had a big impact, such as hitting a nasty pothole.

As with any car, ensuring you have the right tyre size is paramount.

The TSA notes that significant technological advancements in EVs and EV tyres are already underway, particularly in durability, including increased abrasion resistance and stronger sidewalls. 

These features are likely to be further encouraged by the introduction of Euro 7 emissions standards, which, for the first time, will set emission limits and minimum durability requirements for tyres.

It is also important to note that the weight disadvantage EVs currently have compared to ICE vehicles could decrease over time as battery technologies advance.

Drive contacted mycar for comment but has yet to receive a response.

A born-and-bred newshound, Kathryn has worked her way up through the ranks reporting for, and later editing, two renowned UK regional newspapers and websites, before moving on to join the digital newsdesk of one of the world’s most popular newspapers – The Sun. More recently, she’s done a short stint in PR in the not-for-profit sector, and led the news team at Wheels Media.

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