Category F Tyres Banned from Sale

In a bid to further reduce the environmental impact of vehicles on the roads, the sale of poorly performing tyres has been outlawed.

All tyres for sale in Spain follow the European Standards for safety rating. As of November 1, the sale of tyres which are in the “F” category for roll resistance, and which are intended for use on passenger cars and vans, have been prohibited.

Roll resistance directly influences fuel consumption of the vehicle, and therefore, its pollutant emissions, especially that of greenhouse gases. The lower the resistance, the lower the consumption and, according to the Tyre Manufacturers Commission, “up to 20% of fuel consumption is related to this factor.”

According to Jose Luis Rodriguez, president of the Commission, “the prohibition to sell these less efficient tyres in the European market highlights again the informative work and the protection of the consumer interests of the tyre Label”.

The special tyre labelling system came into force on July 1, 2012. Its objective was to inform the consumer by means of colours, symbols and letters, of the roll resistance, the braking grip on wet roads and the sound level of the tyre, helping consumers to choose the tyres that provide the best performance for their vehicle, but that are also safe, durable, efficient and respectful to the environment.

The sale of “G” rated tyres, in other words the least efficient, was already outlawed in 2014.

The Professional Organization of Tire Specialists (OPEN) insists that tyres are the vehicle’s only contact with the road. They ensure that the adherence and direction that the vehicle travels in is the one desired by the user and also cushions imperfections of the road. At the same time, they insist on the need for adequate maintenance of the tyre, including pressure and depth.

According to a study by the University of Edinburgh on vehicle gases, it was stated that 2/3 of the particles emitted by a vehicle are due to tyres, vehicle maintenance and roads. OPEN underlines that “the use of efficient tyres could represent a decrease of 50 litres per 10,000 kilometres in the use of fuel.

There is a transitional period for garages which have stock of these Class “F” tyres, in that those manufactured before November 1, 2018, may still be sold for a period of 30 months, i.e. up until May 1, 2021.