top
Support

Fuel Efficiency Questions (FEQs)

How fuel efficient are Fuel Max tires compared to standard Goodyear commercial truck tires?

According to SAE fuel consumption tests, the Goodyear Unisteel G395 LHS, G305 LHD and G316 LHT featuring Fuel Max Technology tire combination helps decrease fuel consumption by 8%* in comparison with a combination of Goodyear standard production tires†. Since trucks are affected by everyday factors like temperature, weather, terrain and traffic, fleets can expect up to 4%* fuel savings in real-world fleet operation.
*Your results may vary based on road and hauling conditions.
†Unisteel G395 LHS, G372A LHD and G314 LHT.
back to top



What impact will the Unisteel G305 LHD featuring Fuel Max Technology's shallower tread depth have on fuel efficiency and cost per mile?

The Unisteel G305 LHD featuring Fuel Max Technology has a 26/32" tread depth which helps reduce the tire’s rolling resistance. This shallower tread depth could potentially decrease the tire’s original tread life and slightly increase the cost per mile. However, the fuel savings gains should more than make up for this loss. A fleet’s potential return on investment can be determined using Goodyear’s Fuel Savings Calculator, which takes the drive tire’s original 26/32" tread depth into account.
back to top

Can I use Fuel Max tires on some wheel positions and standard tires on others?

For the largest fuel efficiency gains, Goodyear recommends mounting Fuel Max tires in all three wheel positions. Mounting Goodyear Fuel Max tires in all three wheel positions helps lower overall rolling resistance, which can add up to fuel savings for fleets. Goodyear’s Fuel Savings Calculator can help determine the potential return on investment when mounting Fuel Max tires in a combination of wheel positions.
back to top

Why are a tire’s fuel efficiency improvements so hard to measure in a real-world trucking fleet?

There are many factors besides tires, like temperature, driving habits and terrain, that affect the amount of fuel a truck uses to get from point A to point B. That’s why it’s difficult to see the fuel efficiency gains in day-to-day fleet operation. Through SAE fuel consumption tests, they were able to virtually eliminate outside factors that influence fuel usage to quantify the fuel efficiency of the Fuel Max tires. The results show that the Unisteel G395 LHS, G305 LHD and G316 LHT featuring Fuel Max Technology tire combination helps decrease fuel consumption by 8%* in comparison with a combination of Goodyear standard production tires†. Due to the outside factors affecting fuel economy, fleets can expect up to 4%* fuel savings in real-world fleet operation.

*Your results may vary based on road and hauling conditions.
†Unisteel G395 LHS, G372A LHD and G314 LHT.
back to top

What does rolling resistance have to do with fuel economy?

Rolling resistance is a measure of the force required to turn the tire under load. Because the energy to turn the tire must come from fuel, rolling resistance is related to the amount of fuel a truck uses.
back to top

Some of our trucks are spec’d the same, but their MPGs are different. Why is that?

There are many different factors that affect fuel efficiency and miles per gallon. Different temperatures, weather, terrain, traffic, loads and driving habits can have a huge impact on fuel economy.
back to top

What are the benefits of on-dash MPG displays in trucks?

They give drivers instant feedback on how their driving affects fuel consumption, so they can make continual improvements to their driving techniques. 
back to top

Which tire is better, one that advertises fuel efficiency or long mileage?

Each fleet has different needs. We suggest testing both tires on the trucks in a fleet. But instead of just measuring fuel economy, also figure out the total cost per mile for the entire life of the tire.
back to top

When we mounted fuel-efficient tires on our truck, we got less miles per gallon. What went wrong?

Worn tires are more fuel-efficient than new tires. So, if your old tires were close to wearout, they were delivering better fuel efficiency than the new ones. Keep running the fuel-efficient tires and your MPGs should improve as the tires wear.
back to top

How can we improve the fuel economy of our tires?

That’s easy. Keep running them. As the tread on a tire wears down, the fuel efficiency improves. Just make sure you don’t run them below a recommended tread depth or you could sacrifice traction and handling. The right inflation pressure and load will also help improve fuel economy.
back to top

A fuel test we ran showed a huge variation in fuel efficiency between different tires. But when we switched our trucks over to the fuel-efficient tires, we didn’t the big fuel savings we expected. What happened?

If you ran an SAE or TMC test, you have more control over the factors—like temperature, weather, terrain, traffic, loads and driving habits—that affect fuel economy than during day-to-day fleet operation. In reality, a fleet’s fuel savings is usually about half of what you experience during controlled testing.
back to top

When we first started doing testing, we noticed a big difference in fuel economy among tires. Later on, we saw a small difference. Why is that?

As tires wear, the rolling resistance changes and the difference between the tires gets smaller. For a fair comparison, look at the average difference in fuel consumption over the entire life of the tire.
back to top