A tyre for all seasons

With the nights closing in and the clocks turning back, fleet managers may well be thinking of changing summer tyres to winter rubber across their van fleets. Being able to get to customers in all weathers, safely and on time, can more than make up for the additional cost of a second set of wheels and tyres.

However, while a full winter tyre may be an essential for a company working in more remote locations, it could be considered slightly over the top for a service provider in a city in the south-east. Increasingly, an all-season tyre may be a better proposition. That’s certainly the message from Michelin, with the French tyre giant recently launching an Agilis CrossClimate tyre, specifically for the van market.

The Agilis CrossClimate is available in 32 sizes, across 15, 16 and 17” diameters, to cover most common van models. The tyres will be suitable for any van with the correct load index, including the latest electric models.

“As long as the tyre meets the requirements of load and speed for the vehicle, and the choice does not contravene any instructions from the van manufacturer, then it’s absolutely fine to fit them to an electric van,” said Brian Porteous, technical manager at Michelin. “Electric vans tend to prioritise driving range over performance, so the torque output is well within the operating range of the Agilis CrossClimate, which still offers relatively low rolling resistance, in addition to its high levels of all-weather traction and long-life performance.”

All eventualities

An all-weather tyre is not just the preserve of larger fleets or off-road contractors. Having a single tyre that covers all eventualities is equally important for a smaller business.

“A plumber needs all sorts of tools – a spanner, blow torch, hammer, pipe bender – but not every tool is needed every single day. However, when that tool is required, it must be there and it must be reliable,” said Porteous.

“The van and the tyres are the same. If the weather is poor and the van is not mobile, the job doesn’t get done, so it doesn’t matter if all the other tools are in the van or not. When the weather is poor, it is even more important that the tradesman can get to the Continued on p22