Everything Electric Podcast

Episode: The Real Range Anxiety?! How can wheels really boost battery EVs?!

Host: Robert Llewellyn (A) – The Fully Charged Show
Guest: Neil Barrett (B) – EV Lead at Hankook
Date: November 17, 2025

Overview

This episode dives deep into the pivotal but often overlooked world of electric vehicle (EV) tyres. Host Robert Llewellyn is joined by Neil Barrett, EV Lead at Hankook, to explore how tyre innovation directly impacts EV range, safety, efficiency, noise, and even environmental sustainability. The conversation is filled with technical insights, practical tips for EV owners, and a generous dash of wit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why EVs Demand Different Tyres

[05:19 - 08:36]

• Neil Barrett’s core message: EVs present unprecedented demands on tyres because of their instant torque and greater weight compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
• Conflicting needs: High power needs grip, but EV efficiency demands low rolling resistance. Traditionally, these have been trade-offs, but modern tyre tech seeks to minimize this compromise.
• Real-world fact: “If you've got a vehicle that's got 500 horsepower and weighs two and a half ton, it will unchecked wear tires quicker than a vehicle that has less power and less weight. That's just a real fact.” – Neil [07:27]

2. Essential Characteristics of EV Tyres

[08:36 - 14:38]

• Tyre Noise: In EVs, tyre noise becomes far more noticeable because there's no engine noise to mask it. Up to 50% of cabin noise can come from tyres. [09:25]

• Low Rolling Resistance Explained: 25% of all the energy from an EV battery goes into overcoming rolling resistance (the energy lost as heat as tyres deform and recover). [10:12]

• Advancements in Compounds: The latest rubber compounds are designed to provide grip without needing heat, increasing safety while reducing energy loss.

  “EVs generally use 25% of their energy just to make the tires roll.” – Neil [10:12]

• Material Science: Hankook’s EV-specific tyres (Ion range) resulted in 58 patents, 15 for the compounds alone.

  “We’ve really pushed the limits of where the tyres can go.” – Neil [12:49]

  • Analogy: Old filament bulbs vs. LED bulbs; tyres now deliver more ‘light’ (performance/efficiency) with less ‘waste’ (heat).

3. Innovations in Hankook’s Ion Tyres

[15:50 - 23:03]

• Four Key Technologies:

  • iExtreme Lightness: Focused on reducing weight and rolling resistance.
  • iSuper Mileage: Increasing longevity and reducing wear.
  • iSound Absorber: Five layered techniques to cut tyre noise by up to 3%.
  • iPerfect Grip: Advanced tread and reinforcement to optimize contact.

• Unique 3D Sipe Design: Instead of ‘stacking bananas’, which allows movement and heat, the 3D sipes nest like LEGO bricks, locking under pressure, reducing vibration, and improving both grip and efficiency. [17:37]

  “Rather than just a straight line, it goes in little blocks... under pressure, for example under cornering, they solidify together.” – Neil [17:54]

• Manufacturing Advances: New curing machines allow for precise control of rubber thicknesses, optimizing strength without waste and improving sidewall design. [19:50]

4. Why Tyre Choice Matters for EV Owners

[23:11 - 35:02]

• Effect on Range: Tyres with low rolling resistance can significantly extend vehicle range – a critical concern for those using public charging more frequently.

  “If you choose the wrong tire, you're going to lose half of that [extra battery range] overnight.” – Neil [35:33]

• Wear Patterns & Performance: Cheap or inappropriate (ICE-focused) tyres can wear out rapidly under the stress of EV torque, undoing many environmental gains.

• Cost Comparison: Investing in premium tyres is analogous to researching before buying a major home appliance, but many drivers neglect to do so for tyres despite higher costs.

  “The cost of a very good tire over a not a very good tire… while it might sound expensive to spend, I don't know, 700 pound instead of 400 pound on four tyres, the reality of it is you've got to spend 400 anyway.” – Neil [32:39]

• Advice: Check tyres regularly and don’t let replacement be an unexpected emergency.

5. Environmental Concerns – Tyre Particulates

[26:51 - 31:13]

• Particulates: As EVs reduce tailpipe and brake emissions, tyre wear becomes the largest remaining source of user-related pollution.

• Hankook’s Response: Extending tyre life and refining compounds to minimize smaller airborne particulates ahead of stringent Euro 7 rules (in force 2027).

  “Our responsibility… is to continue to minimize its impact, and you can undo a lot of work done by the EV by choosing the wrong tire.” – Neil [29:51]

• Buying Smart Reduces Pollution: Choosing tyres engineered for EVs helps lower particulate emissions per mile.

6. Motorsport & Tech Transfer

[40:48 - 43:24]

• Formula E Involvement: Racing is the ultimate proving ground – Formula E requirements mirror those of road EVs: high efficiency, instant torque, and a single tyre for all conditions.

• Direct Transfer: Many innovations from racing go straight into road tyres.

  “The technology was almost completely transferable into the Ion range.” – Neil [41:07]

• Efficiency Comparison: “Over the same distance, a Formula E car uses 45 kW of energy, and a Formula One would use 400 kW. That’s what we’re talking about here—nearly 10 times less energy required.” – Neil [43:55]

• Big Picture: Motorsport challenges drive rapid innovation, leading to better consumer products.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On EV power and braking:

  “Thanks to EVs, cars can now accelerate faster than they can brake... That’s never happened before.” – Neil [03:47]

• On overlooked tyre importance:

  “You can trip it up quite easily by forgetting the details. And one of those would be tyres.” – Neil [15:29]

• On public charging vs. home charging:

  “10,000 miles at home charging is about £200 a year, public’s about 2,000.” – Robert [33:17]

• On buyer mindset:

  “A tyre is a distressed purchase… but if you're going to spend that, what are you going to do? You're going to go to the shop, compare, look at ratings… Not saying I've ever done it, but I'm sure we all have. A lot of people will spend double that on tires and [have] not done any research.” – Neil [38:59]

• On EVs vs. ICE wastefulness:

  “If you were, like, skipping down the road, chucking money just over your shoulder versus someone who's, like, running down the road and keeping the money in their hands, you'd be like, what on earth are you doing? This is totally inefficient and so wasteful.” – Robert [44:38]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• EV Tyre Demands & Power: [05:19]
• Noise & Rolling Resistance Explained: [09:25]
• Compound Innovation & Patents: [12:19]
• iExtreme Lightness & iSound Absorber: [15:50], [17:19]
• 3D Sipe/LEGO Analogy: [17:37]
• Tyre Particulates & Environment: [26:51]
• Cost Implications & Tyre Buying Habits: [32:14]
• Formula E & Tech Transfer: [40:48]
• EV vs F1 Efficiency: [43:24]

Closing Takeaways

Host Robert Llewellyn:

• Recaps the episode’s surprising depth and practical value.
• Points out how engineers’ incremental innovations stack up to major real-world benefits.

Guest Neil Barrett’s Final Message:

“Now you've got your EV and it's coming up to maybe looking at tires, take ownership, read into it, get as much information as you can and let us do the complex bit… We're not here to add complexity, we're here to help you.” [46:28]

Summary

This episode reveals the vital, nuanced role of tyres in maximizing EV performance and minimizing their environmental impact. The detailed discussion with Neil Barrett demystifies how tyre choice affects range, safety, cost, and pollution—often in ways as crucial as any powertrain or battery development. For EV drivers, tyre choice is no longer a background issue; it’s central to the EV driving experience and to achieving the environmental benefits EVs promise.

If you drive an EV (or are thinking about it), don’t overlook your tyres—choosing the right ones transforms your ride, your wallet, and your world.