How do I determine the rolling resistance class of a tyre?

What you must do concretely

What is expected of you

Measure rolling resistance according to the prescribed test method

The rolling resistance class of a tyre does not come from an estimate or a comparison with a similar model — that class is derived from a measurement according to the method laid down in the tyre labelling regulation (Regulation (EU) 2020/740). The tyre is measured on a test drum, and the result of that measurement is classified into a class from A to E (or G, depending on the tyre category). For a company with 10 to 100 employees that does not have its own testing facility, this means above all: the class comes from the manufacturer or from the test lab that has measured on behalf of the manufacturer, and that class is adopted — not recalculated or estimated on the basis of your own experience with the tyre. For anyone seeking more background on this, according to which method must I measure the values for the passport the broader context of test methods relevant to the product passport.

Correctly adopt the class in the product passport

Once the product passport is compiled, the rolling resistance class is adopted as a fixed figure from the documentation of the manufacturer or importer. This is an administrative step, but one with weight: an incorrect class in the passport is an incorrect class for the entire lifespan of the tyre with that user, unless there is reason to review the data. Which other data besides the rolling resistance class belong in the passport is described on which data will be included in the product passport for tyres.

Monitor the relationship with the existing tyre label

The rolling resistance class has been known for years from the tyre label that hangs next to the tyre in the showroom or webshop. The product passport does not add a new class classification to this, but builds on the same underlying measurement. For an importer or wholesaler, this means that the class shown on the label and the class in the passport should remain aligned with each other. How these two relate precisely to each other is set out on how does the tyre label relate to the product passport.

Recognise when a test is needed again

A rolling resistance class belongs to a specific tyre type, with a specific rubber compound and construction. When a manufacturer changes the compound, designs a new tread or brings a variant for a different season to market, the previously measured class is not automatically still valid. Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 (ESPR) states in Article 39 that test, measurement and calculation methods should be reliable and reproducible — which in practice means that a change to the tyre can be reason to check whether the previously established class still holds. For season-specific variants, this is a recurring point of attention, as can be read on must I enter different data in the passport for winter tyres than for summer tyres.

Where things go wrong in practice

The class is adopted from an older product version. An importer works with the documentation that came with the first delivery, while the manufacturer has since adjusted the compound. The rolling resistance class in the passport then no longer matches the tyre that is actually being sold.

No distinction is made between tyre sizes within one product line. Rolling resistance differs per size, even within the same product line. When one class is used for all sizes in a series, while the manufacturer has established a different class per size, a discrepancy arises between the passport and the actual test results.

A private-label tyre is given the class of the "parent tyre". For tyres sold under a private brand but manufactured by another manufacturer, it is sometimes assumed that the class is identical to that of the underlying product. Without an own test report or written confirmation from the manufacturer, this is an assumption, not an established fact.

The class on the tyre label and in the passport diverge after a correction. When a manufacturer reviews a test result retrospectively — for example following a retest — the label is updated but the passport is not, or vice versa. For anyone wondering how often such an update should actually occur, there is more to be found on how often must I update the data in the product passport.

Test reports can no longer be traced during an audit or inspection. The class is listed in the passport, but the underlying test report from the manufacturer has not been archived by the importer. When asked by a supervisory authority or a large fleet manager, the supporting documentation is then missing.

What you can record

• The manufacturer's test report in which the rolling resistance class per tyre type and size is established, including the date of the test and the test method used.
• An overview per product line and size indicating which rolling resistance class applies to which specific variant, so that with an assortment of multiple sizes, a class is not accidentally "carried over" to a size for which it has not been measured.
• Correspondence with the manufacturer regarding changes to the compound or construction, and whether that change necessitated a new test.
• A comparison between the class on the tyre label and the class in the passport, maintained at the time of import or publication, so that discrepancies are identified early.
• Agreements on who may adjust the class after publication and on the basis of which source document that occurs — relevant when a manufacturer subsequently provides a revised test result. How such a modification after publication works is explained in can I adjust data after the product passport has already been published.
• An archive of manufacturer declarations for private-label or resold tyres, so that the origin of the rolling resistance class remains demonstrable even without its own test facility.