You might have been recommended by someone to over inflate tyre to increase fuel efficiency.

Today, let's put all the pros and cons on the table and weigh the same. This blog will help you understand how tyre pressure influences fuel mileage.

Before we start, one should know that the air pressure in the car tyres supports the weight of the entire car. Maintaining the proper tyre pressure is crucial for keeping you and other drivers on road safe while increasing vehicle performance, decreasing fuel usage, and ensuring you get the most life out of your tyres. Still, it’s one of the common aspects of a car that the drivers don’t pay attention to. It is also important because they affect the grip on the road, which in turn impacts the vehicle’s handling and braking.

While it is true that over-inflating the tyres can increase the fuel economy to an extent, we avoid recommending it due to the “side effects”. First of all, the savings on fuel by overinflating the tyres are minor in comparison to the side effects. The side effects or disadvantages of overinflating are uneasy handlings, inadequate braking performance, discomfort level while driving, irregular wear, fast tyre wear and chances of certain tyre damages.

The side effects can be categorised under-  

1.      Faster wearing out

Overinflating tyres create uneven tread wear and lead to faster deterioration of the centre of the tyres.

2.      Loss of traction  

Overinflated tyres have a small patch of contact with the road, resulting in reduced traction. It is dangerous, especially in monsoons.

3.      Harsher/Rougher ride  

Overinflating the tyres makes them harder, so you may feel more bumps on the road.

4.      Uneasy Handling

Over inflated tyres affect the handling performance, and it is not easy to manoeuvre the vehicle.

Therefore, we recommend using the tyre pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer to enjoy a good balance of handling, comfort, and safety, as well as fuel efficiency.

Under-inflating tyre is also a major reason for tyre failures. It causes the tyres to touch the road too much and therefore more friction and faster wear. Hence, we should always keep our car tyres inflated at the recommended level.

Correctly inflated tyres give you the optimum overall performance.

Furthermore, if you want to save fuel, you may try Bridgestone Ecopia that is especially designed to save fuel and environment. As per test conducted by Government agency, Ecopia EP150 (For Passenger Cars) saves 7%* fuel efficiency and EP850 (For SUVs) saves 10%* fuel efficiency as compared to standard tyre in standard test conditions. Results may vary depending upon various factors like driving habits, road conditions, weather etc.

Bridgestone tyres are more durable, long-lasting, fuel-saving and safe tyres. They can help you prepare for your next road trip by ensuring your car is in excellent condition. Whether you need new tyres, a wheel alignment or any other preventative maintenance for your vehicle, professionals from Bridgestone Select and Select+ can happily assist you!

You can also visit the Bridgestone website and explore the world of tyres online that help you choose tyres based on your requirements and expected performance.