‘My electric hatchback is as heavy as a Jeep – I needed new tyres after 7,500 miles’
Mr Bassett opted to go to a different tyre garage instead, but a mechanic came to the same conclusion and he was quoted £165 to replace both of the rears.
“I think more people should be aware that EVs have an appetite for tyres and they won’t last long,” he said.
“When I was working I was regularly doing 45,000 miles a year. If I had this car then, I’d be faced with paying £300 six times a year just to replace the rears, which would be astronomical.”
Mr Bassett said he will now think twice about buying an EV in the future due to his experience with premature tyre life. His front pair are now almost in need of a change after surviving only marginally longer than the rears.
The strain on EV tyres comes as a result of both the extra weight and higher torque, the twisting power that launches a car from a standing start.
Road safety charity Tyresafe said: “All that power at any speed in a heavy vehicle means if the driver regularly accelerates hard, the tyres are put under tremendous strain, fighting to grip the road and not spin.”
Due to the greater acceleration speed, manufacturers advise drivers to be delicate on the throttle to prolong tyre life.
Volkswagen, which first launched the ID.3 in 2019, said that driver performance is the key factor impacting tyre wear.
A spokesman said: “Tyre longevity is influenced by a wide range of factors, most importantly the way in which the vehicle is driven, for example, hard cornering, braking and acceleration can cause more wear than gentle driving.”
VW also said that “types of road surfaces, temperature, correct maintenance of tyre pressures; care when parking; and the amount of load the vehicle carries” all impact the level of degradation.
