February 16, 2024
The rise in electric vehicles (EVs) has necessarily put a greater demand on the tires that support them. EVs distribute power differently, operate more quietly, and often are quite simply heavier than traditional internal combustion vehicles. Among other considerations like maximizing range, we have seen more emphasis than ever on creating or modifying tires specifically for the purposes of EVs, and while there's still some debate over how significant of an advantage most "EV focused" tires offer over their traditional counterparts, the reality is that testing them to tease out that nuance is more important than ever.
Yokohama has spent years earning their reputation, not just in motorsports, but in translating their on-track experience and R&D into tires for all people. Their newest entry in the EV market adopts that selfsame mentality of building on a proven concept and adapting it for a parallel purpose; in this case, taking the well-loved ADVAN Sport A/S+ and fine-tuning its characteristics in service of a more focused objective.
So, the goal is clear enough. The question is, as it so often is: how well did they do? To keep our evaluations grounded, we've selected a proven baseline tire in the same category to compare our testers' impressions against. Naturally, for an EV focused tire test, we needed electric vehicles, and turned to our 2023 Tesla Performance test vehicles fitted with new, full tread depth 235/45R18 tires mounted on 18x8.5 wheels.
Our standard road ride route lets our team experience both tires back-to-back in identical situations. With the route's mix of road types and speeds, our drivers are able to distinguish differences even from two very similar performances. The ride from both tires was reasonably close on the turnpike, although on most other surfaces, the ADVAN Sport EV A/S differentiated itself in some way, either through a slightly harsher recovery over minor impacts, multi-tonal noise, or minor additional thumps on the smooth sections of bypass road where the speed is higher. In aggregate, some minor gains could be made here, although outside of a direct testing comparison, few people would even be likely to notice. Conversely, the feel of the steering in the ADVAN Sport EV A/S was fast, responsive, and largely direct, though on the highway, it required more frequent correction and could have felt more planted.
To evaluate the efficiency of each tire and its corresponding impact on vehicle range, our team drove both tires on a predefined 200-mile route on the highways near Tire Rack's South Bend, IN headquarters. We used two identical vehicles, driven in tandem to control for weather, time of day, temperature and road conditions, and efforts were taken to ensure identical driving conditions for both tires. Our reported findings are the results of these specific test parameters, and your range may vary depending on individual variables.
| Tire | Estimated Range at 100% Charge | WH/Mile |
|---|---|---|
| Control Tire | 266 | 270 |
| YO ADVAN Sport EV A/S | 266 | 270 |
Around the wet track, the ADVAN Sport EV A/S was able to showcase improvement, if not particularly dynamic handling. Objectively, many of its advantages seemed incremental, like a one hundredth of a g improvement in lateral traction or a narrow advantage in braking distance from fifty miles per hour. In practice however, the ADVAN Sport EV A/S was less willing to swing and rotate under acceleration and braking comparatively. Combined throughout the track, each minor enhancement added up to a wet driving experience that was steady, drama-free, and ideal for a daily commute, but likely wouldn't excite a more performance-minded driver.
| Wet Track | Average Times | 50-0mph | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slalom | Total Lap | Lateral gs | ABS Stop | |
| Control Tire | 31.09 | 0.82 | 101.2 | |
| YO ADVAN Sport EV A/S | 5.84 | |||
On a dry track, the ADVAN Sport EV A/S continued to showcase strong braking. Outside of the numbers, however, both tires felt very stunningly similar during laps, less differentiated here, something we commonly see in dry comparisons. Just as it was in the wet, the ADVAN Sport EV A/S was advantaged in longitudinal ability, but was again comparatively unexciting to drive and less athletic, responsive, or willing to rotate compared to the control.
| Dry Track | Average Times | 50-0mph | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slalom | Total Lap | Lateral gs | ABS Stop | |
| Control Tire | 86.2 | |||
| YO ADVAN Sport EV A/S | 5.74 | 30.22 | 0.86 | |
The demands of cold weather driving bring a host of unpredictable situations, and understanding a tire's performance, notably its straight-line traction, can be an excellent predictor for its strengths and weaknesses in winter conditions. Our team set to work putting both tires through several objective tests and the resulting averages showed some notable, if marginal, areas for improvement in the tire. On a snowy surface, the ADVAN Sport EV A/S took just below 16 feet to reach the acceleration target, but more significantly, a full 68 feet to come to a stop from 25mph, an issue that will only magnify at higher speeds. Ice testing revealed reasonably good numbers for the category, taking narrowly over 49 feet to stop from 12mph.
| Actual Ratings/Test Values | ||
|---|---|---|
| Control Tire | YO ADVAN Sport EV A/S | |
| Snow Acceleration w/TCS (feet) | 14.40 | 15.90 |
| Snow Stopping Distance (feet) | 63.1 | 68.1 |
| Ice Stopping Distance (feet) | 50.4 | 49.2 |
Any new tire, particularly in an all-season category, requires some compromises from its development team. Dealing with the requirements needed for handling, comfort, and traction in a wide variety of possible surfaces and weather scenarios requires careful balancing. Add to all of that a further consideration for the low-noise, low rolling resistance, and further weight demands of an electric vehicle and we return to the question posed at the onset: how well did they manage this balance? In adapting a proven formula for the task, the ADVAN Sport EV A/S succeeds at being capable in most conditions, a strong all-rounder that never felt as if it lags significantly behind in any one place. There are certainly areas that could be improved, notably in its average noise comfort and snow performance, though even in finding areas to improve, it's worth noting the tire remains well above average. Ultimately, in most other respects, it did precisely what it was asked - kept our drivers planted, in control, and with no drama or unnecessary movement. When it comes to a regular commuter tire, predictability is an understated virtue and the hallmark of a dependable workhorse, which it seems is exactly what the ADVAN Sport EV A/S aims to be.
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