Why You Need Winter Tires

Why do you need Winter Tires? Isn’t that M+S symbol on the sidewall good enough? Not so fast! In fact, slow down because unless you are using true Winter tires, your vehicle is definitely not in control when the temperatures drop. But why is that?

In a recent episode of the GetConnected Video Podcast, we interviewed Ferrell Scott, a Winter Tire category product manager for Michelin. Mike and John have been pondering the need for Winter Tires recently for their electric vehicles. But after speaking to Ferrell, it’s clear that their M+S treads are woefully inadequate for Canadian Winters. Especially if they want maximum performance and safety as all-season and Summer treads lose their edge when they approach 7 degrees celsius.

One important factor with electric vehicles, like the Kia Soul EV and Tesla Model 3 that our hosts drive, is that they put instant torque to the road. This means there’s an even greater chance of sliding because that causes the vehicle to break traction momentarily. In cooler temperatures, a Winter Tire can recover thanks to its added traction and construction. A conventional tire will struggle even more to regain traction.

What are your thoughts on Winter Tires? What are some of your favourite treads and why? Let us know in the comments below!