European Commission publishes update on tire rolling resistance alignment

Brussels – The European Commission has released the latest update on tire rolling resistance alignment, following research carried out by its 'expert group' Network of Reference Laboratories.

In a 24 March statement, the Commission said its expert group completed a new round of alignment for the measurement of rolling resistance, with updated equations in force since 2 March.

The alignment process seeks to establish shared "assigned reference values" against which individual test facilities calibrate their equipment and results, said the Commission.

This, it noted, ensures that laboratories across the world measure tire rolling resistance consistently.

The Network, which includes both technical services and tire manufacturers, was first set up in 2010 under the original EU tire labelling regulation.

Since then, it has carried out regular alignment exercises and intermediate stability checks to confirm the stability of its measurement systems across participating laboratories.

The alignment exercise is repeated every two years.

According to Commission, the most recent 2025 alignment round produced new reference equations for both C1/C2 (passenger and light truck) and C3 (heavy-duty) tire categories.

The updated equations will directly feed into the tire labelling process under Regulation (EU) 2020/740 to ensure that rolling resistance ratings on consumer-facing tire labels remain “accurate, comparable, and scientifically up to date.”