Michelin X-Ice Snow 205/55 R16 94H XL, Nordic Compound

Tyre label / efficiency classes

EU product data sheet

EU Tyre Label and Efficiency Classes

The European Union has introduced the EU Tyre Label by Regulation (No. 1222/2009) identically and bindingly for all EU member states. It applies to passenger car tyres, light commercial vehicle tyres and heavy commercial vehicle tyres produced after 01.07.2012. Three different areas are tested: rolling resistance, wet grip and the rolling noise the tyre makes on the road.

The following are not affected by the EU Tyre Label: retreaded tyres, professional off-road tyres, racing tyres, tyres with additional devices to improve traction such as spiked tyres, T-type emergency tyres, special tyres for fitting to vehicles first registered before 1 October 1990, tyres with a maximum authorised speed of 80 km/h, tyres for rims with a nominal diameter of 254 mm or less or 635 mm or more.

With this regulation, the European Union is pursuing the goal of promoting economic and ecological efficiency in road traffic as well as increasing road safety on the one hand, and on the other hand, granting consumers more product transparency and at the same time serving as an active decision-making aid.

Already during the incorporation, experts criticise the fact that the EU Tyre Label unfortunately only shows a few product characteristics. Apart from rolling resistance, wet grip and rolling noise, which are the main focus of EU tyre labelling, tyres have much more important and safety-relevant product characteristics, such as aquaplaning properties, driving stability, service life, braking properties on dry and wet roads, behaviour in wintry conditions, etc.

Tyre manufacturers point out that test results from various institutions and journals remain an important information medium for the end consumer. These tests usually focus on further safety-relevant product characteristics besides the EU standard qualifications for tyre labelling, which are always important for the final customer.

Profile: X-Ice Snow

Michelin – we take you further.

The vision of our founders, Edouard and André Michelin, has guided the development of the MICHELIN brand for more than 125 years: making driving as simple, safe, and comfortable as possible – first with innovative tires and wheels, followed by road maps, travel guides, and contributions toward improving traffic infrastructure. Along with this comes a strong engagement with the environment, as modern mobility must be sustainable and not detrimental to the environment.

Each year the Michelin Group produces more than 178 million tires in 68 production facilities in 17 countries, and it operates sales networks in more than 170 countries. The product offerings are many: from bicycle, passenger car, truck, motorcycle, and tractor tires, to tires for 5-ton earth- moving machines. Michelin employs 111,700 people worldwide and owns one of the oldest, most famous trademarks in the world – the legendary Michelin Man.

Targeted development: MICHELIN Total Performance

In the development of new products, Michelin faithfully pursues the concept of "MICHELIN Total Performance", backed by the rigorous standard of always bringing together a number of performance characteristics into a tire, to achieve optimal results. We follow this philosophy not only in the development of our standard products, but also in motorsports. Numerous technical innovations help to relieve burdens on the environment, drivers, and businesses. Hidden out of sight in tire casings, tread designs, and rubber compounds, throughout their lives MICHELIN tires show their full potential: they offer excellent grip, long life, and reduced fuel consumption thanks to their low rolling resistance.

To better understand the conditions which tires are subjected to in everyday use, in the summer of 2014 Michelin began a unique research project – the Road Usage Lab. Vehicles from 3,000 drivers in Europe were equipped with special measurement devices to record data about the tires' use. These valuable findings are being employed in the development of future tire models, making them better suited to the needs of real drivers.