There’s only ever been a few tyre choices for the BMW i3, originally the Bridgestone Ecopia was developed especially for the zippy, light little EV, with energy efficiency being a top priority.
Since then a number of other manufacturers have begun production, but it was still limited to three: Bridgestone, Continental and more recently Nankang.
But last year Michelin announced the e Primacy would be made in the ultra skinny BMW i3 spec, and they have the best rating out of any currently on the market.
The Michelin e Primacy BMW i3 tyre is rated A for fuel efficiency, B for wet weather performance and comes in at 68 db.
So they’re better in the wet than any other tyre, can match (or beat) the rest in terms of fuel efficiency and are up to 2db quieter than some of the competition.
We put a set on to see how they compared to the original Ecopia EP500’s that were fitted to our 2017 BMW i3 REx.
Michelin e Primacy BMW i3 Tyre Review
You might think a tyre is a tyre, is a tyre. But tyre tech is constantly evolving, so you’d be a fool to stick with the OE spec tyres. Even Bridgestone have updated the Ecopia from the EP500 to EP600 since the i3 was released back in 2014.
Michelin claim that the e Primacy range is eco-designed and made to last. They’ll help extend battery range for EVs and are just as safe from the first mile to the last.
Now the range-extending claims are pretty mild when you think of our little i3. Michelin say up to 7% can be gained, but with 120 miles at a full charge to start with, that’s only an extra 8.4 miles. That might not seem much, but it can be the difference between switching on the Range Extender, or leaving it off on a longer journey.
An air-tight EnergyAirShield Compound reduces energy dissipation while the CoolRunning Sidewall absorbs less energy during flexion, extending the car battery range and leading to more efficient driving for all your journeys.
Another thing is that tyres can get worse with age, but Michelin claim to have eradicated that by using a U-shape groove to allow water to be dispersed effectively throughout the tyres life – even after 18,000 miles braking distance will remain below the legal homologation level for a new tyre.
So what are they like?
Having driven on worn Bridgestone Ecopia tyres since purchasing the i3, they were pretty old and one of the tyres had in fact started to crack. They were likely to be the originals, which after 35,000 miles of driving was pretty incredible.
Switching to the Michelin e Primacy did make a noticeable difference to road/tyre noise. Inside the cabin at 70 MPH that 2db decrease is noticeable. Remember that just a 1db increase equates to around a 7% louder noise and 3db is a 23% increase. Tyres tend to get louder with age anyway, so it’s not a completely fair comparison. But in an almost silent EV the reduced road noise was noticeable from the start.
Any boost in efficiency?
Over 6212 miles on the Bridgestone Ecopias the kWh/100km sat at 16.7. That’s over a mix of mainly town driving, with bi-monthly jaunts of 200 miles over fast A roads with stretches of motorway.
Across the same sort of roads over the last year the new Michelin e Primacy tyres have managed 16.1 which is a decent decrease in the kWh overall. That’s a 3.7% boost to our range. A little way off the claimed ‘up-to 7%’ but that still equals an extra 3-4 miles range on a full charge.
But the main point of the Michelin e Primacy series is the way they wear. Using ‘MaxTouch Construction’ for longer tread life they’re meant to keep your braking distance below the legal homologation level for a new tyre, even after 18,000 miles.
So far wet weather performance is more confidence-inspiring than the worn Bridgestone Ecopias, but that’s mainly a given as there’s more tread.
Whereas roundabouts felt a little like Bambie on ice at times, the e Primacy’s are just the same no matter if it’s wet or dry out.
In terms of wear, the BMW i3 is known to eat rear tyres pretty quickly due to the high torque and thin profile.
After just over 6,000 miles the tread across the rear measures 3.5mm and the front is 5mm not bad considering it mainly lives in the roundabout haven of Milton Keynes for 90% of its life. The tread depth when new is 6.1mm.
Michelin e Primacy BMW i3 Conclusions
Currently on Blackcircles 155/70R19 Bridgestone Ecopia EP600’s come in at £144.76. The newer Michelin e.Primacy is a fraction more at £153.12. But as already discussed, the Michelin ratings are significantly improved all around compared to the Ecopia.
They’re also the only A rated tyre for fuel efficiency in that size and also the quietest.
