Observing a 3 mpg+ gain (~6% improvement) with Energy Saver A/S tires - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

F8L · 06-15-2012, 11:30 AM

I just thought I would post up my recent results after switching out 2 other sets of LRR tires for the Energy Saver A/S.

My 2012 Prius Three came equipped with Yokohama AVID S33D 195/65/15 tires. After 1,500 miles of driving on them I swapped them out for the brand new Yokohama AVID Ascend tires. I drove on those for about 11,000 miles and decided after testing the old Michelin Energy Saver A/S tires that I had to have a set of my own. I performed quite a bit of testing using my daily commute as examples of real world conditions. I found that I was averaging about 3-4mpg higher with the Energy Saver A/S than either of the Yokohamas which were very similar in mpg to each other. Performance is better with the AVIDs but the MPG and comfort is better with the Energy Saver A/S.

Just thought I'd share what a good set of tires can do for fuel economy. Pressure is set at 44/42psi.

Here is a pic of my best morning 98% freeway commute (@60mph) from 50' ASL to 1,200' ASL

Here is a pic of my return 98% freeway commute (@60mph) from 1,200' ASL to 50' ASL.

Here is a pic of what I am averaging on this tank so far. I just hit the half tank mark.

Picture of my one way morning commute. Elevation is x10 so total elevation is 1,200ft. ASL.

euromodder · 06-15-2012, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F8L

I just thought I would post up my recent results after switching out 2 other sets of LRR tires for the Energy Saver A/S.

I found that I was averaging about 3-4mpg higher with the Energy Saver A/S than either of the Yokohamas which were very similar in mpg to each other.

Not bad, considering Toyota already put some LRR tyres on the Prius.

In tests, the Continental EcoContact 5 did even better, but it's only just hitting the markets here.

Quote:

Just thought I'd share what a good set of tires can do for fuel economy. Pressure is set at 44/42psi.

What's the sidewall rating ?
On the European version it's 51 psi.
Though at 44 you'll already have the greater part of the possible fuel savings.

Quote:

Here is a pic of my return 98% freeway commute (@60mph) from 1,200' ASL to 50' ASL.

Wow.

F8L · 06-15-2012, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by euromodder

Not bad, considering Toyota already put some LRR tyres on the Prius.

In tests, the Continental EcoContact 5 did even better, but it's only just hitting the markets here.

What's the sidewall rating ?
On the European version it's 51 psi.
Though at 44 you'll already have the greater part of the possible fuel savings.

Wow.

Over here all we have is the Continental ProContact with EcoPlus. They actually do slightly worse than most other LRR tires in their class but they are a great value and reward you with fantastic traction and handling for a
LRR tire. So far as we know the Enery Saver A/S (all-season) is the most fuel efficient tire. It has it's drawbacks, however.

The tire is rated 44psi max. I agree that I am not likely to see much of a gain by going any higher in pressure.

F8L · 06-17-2012, 05:16 PM

Things are getting kinda nutty now. I finished the tank yesterday with 2 bars of fuel left but got gas anyway. I had 524.8 miles on the trip and pumped 8.4 ga. Car indicated 65.3 mpg. It lies.

T,oday I made a 123 mile round trip on the freeway at 60mph and I ended at 67.2 mpg. I think these tires are made of ground unicorn horn. lol

MetroMPG · 07-04-2012, 06:08 PM

Quote:

I think these tires are made of ground unicorn horn

HA! Good one!

I'd heard of walnut shells in tires for winter traction - amazing it took us this long to think of adding unicorn horn for LRR.

Can you quantify your gain as a percentage? +3-4 MPG means something very different to a 50+ MPG Prius driver than it does to a 30 MPG run of the mill sedan driver.

3n3rgystar · 07-04-2012, 06:54 PM

Very good information to know, thanks.

LeanBurn · 07-04-2012, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F8L

.... So far as we know the Enery Saver A/S (all-season) is the most fuel efficient tire. It has it's drawbacks, however....

Please elaborate.

bnmorgan · 07-04-2012, 09:35 PM

and how much do they cost, and ROI time (payback or break even)

loxety · 07-04-2012, 11:34 PM

I'd love to get another 3mpg from my 1993 Chevy Caprice Wagon! I usually get about 23-24mpg

F8L · 07-04-2012, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

HA! Good one!

I'd heard of walnut shells in tires for winter traction - amazing it took us this long to think of adding unicorn horn for LRR.

Can you quantify your gain as a percentage? +3-4 MPG means something very different to a 50+ MPG Prius driver than it does to a 30 MPG run of the mill sedan driver.

I would call it a solid 6% improvement over my AVID Ascend and S33D (OEM) tires of the same size. In some cases I was seeing an 8% gain but it is hard to rule out the effects of warming temperature so I feel comfortable with 6%. Keep in mind this is 6% over other LRR tires so vs. non-LRR tires the gain could be higher.

For more information on the tires you can read my review on priuschat. Since I don't like to take away from this forum by linking too much I will copy and paste my full review but I will add the link for supplemental information.

Michelin Energy Saver A/S Review | PriusChat

From my original thread:

Tire Specs (195/65/15 89T)
Michelin Energy Saver A/S (All-Season)
UTQG=480 A B, 44psi, 9.5/32, 18lbs, 832, $109 ($70 available rebate)

My initial impression of the Energy Saver A/S tire is first how cushy the ride is and how poorly it handles. Those thoughts vanish once the mpg figures start accumulating! Mpg is OMG! For this review I kept tire pressure at 42/40psi.

Noise: This tire may be quieter than the OE AVID S33D and are a bit quieter than the AVID Ascend. Over smooth surfaces and rough surfaces the tire is pretty quiet although you can definitely tell when road surfaces change.

Handling: let's start off by saying if handling is a big priority for you then you may want to look at another tire. This tire doesn't really handle well at all. In fact, it can be a bit scary if you are not used to it. From mild tramlining to a weird "butt jiggle" that occurs on grooved cement highways, I was not impressed with the handling characteristics of this tire. The ride was comfortable and relatively quiet compared to my 17" Primacy MXM4 and the 15" AVID Ascend. I feel these tires are a step down from the OE AVID S33D and the AVID Ascend. Upon installing them I was reminded of the mushy handling of the stock GenII with its undersized tires. It just feels sloppy. Steering input is also pretty vague. This is a smooth riding tire.

Traction: Traction is pretty good despite my negative opinion of its handling characteristics. I have been able test them in anything but dry weather, however. Once set into a sharp curve the tires stick well enough but will start to protest if pushed hard.

Mileage: These tires are insane when it comes to fuel efficiency! They roll very well which enhances typical hypermiling techniques like gliding and EV Mode take-offs. Independent testing by TireRack.com has shown these tires can improve mpg by 3.8mpg over non-LRR tires and 2.7mpg vs. the OE Integrity tire on the GenII. Many Prius owners have reported a 2-3mpg increase over their OE tires despite the Energy Saver A/S being brand new and not yet broken in! I only have a couple of hundred miles worth of testing on these tires but I have spent all of that time testing the mpg capabilities and handling traits. I was simply astounded by the mpg achieved immediately following installation. It appears my mpg went up by about 3mpg over my 15" AVID Ascends and by approx. 9.5mpg vs. my Michelin Primacy MXM4s when driven conservatively and using basic hypermiling techniques. I drove using no special hypermiling tricks (like pulse and glide) other than driving 5mph below the speed limit of 65mph. My first trip from Pleasanton to Woodland resulted in 64.8mpg over 82 miles or so. My morning commute which usually runs 48-50mpg resulted in a 53.4mpg trip. My evening commute usually runs 70-78mpg resulted in 80.8mpg! Even after running an 80 mile trip at 70+mph and the AC blasting i am still sitting at 62.8mpg. My commute features 99% highway driving and an 1,150ft. elevation change.

Appearance: It's a pretty average looking tire. It's not ugly nor does it look sexy and stylish like some of the Nitto or other race-inspired tires. look at the pics and you be the judge.

Price: The price of the Energy Saver A/S is comparable to other premium LRR offerings like the Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max and Yokohama AVID Ascend. This assumes you get the ever-present $70 rebate offered by Michelin. It's a Michelin tire and as such they command a premium price so be sure to shop around for a retailer that offers the rebate! Note: Costco alternates the rebate every other month so if they are not on sale then wait a month. Due to their increase in efficiency, longevity and reasonable price, the Energy Saver A/S offer the lowest cost per mile to run of any tire I know of. The AVID Ascend runs a very close second.

Summary: This tire is designed for mpg. I am easily averaging 63-64mpg. A feat I was only able to achieve just once with my AVID Ascends. What it lacks in handling and steering response it makes up for in spades with fuel efficiency. If you care more about high mpg numbers than you do slinging the car around corners then this tire is for you. It is a very cost effective tire despite the higher up front purchase cost. In the long run, the Energy Saver A/S will save you money over nearly any other tire on the market. Hypermilers and penny pinchers need look no further.