Tire Rolling Resistance Calculator
Calculate rolling resistance force (N), power loss (W/kW), and fuel or EV range impact from tire Crr, vehicle mass, speed, road surface, and grade. ISO 28580 dynamic Crr speed-correction model included.
QUICK EXAMPLE
A typical 1,500 kg mid-size sedan with standard all-season tires (Crr 0.012) on new asphalt at 90 km/h produces 177 N of rolling resistance force and 4.4 kW of power loss — roughly 6% of a 77 kW engine's highway output, consumed purely by tire deformation. Upgrading to EV-optimized tires (Crr 0.007) cuts that rolling power loss to 2.6 kW, translating to 30–50 km of extra range on a 100 kWh battery pack.
All-season tire for typical sedans & hatchbacks. Most common preset.
Baseline reference surface.
Results
200.4 N
Crr effective: 0.0136
0.0 N
Grade: 0% → 0.00°
252.7 N
½ × 1.225 × 0.3 × 2.2 × v²
453.1 N
AI Insight
Powered by AIGet a plain-English explanation of your results — what they mean for your vehicle and driving experience.
Rolling Resistance Guide
Hysteresis physics, EU label A–E decoded, 9 factors, LRR vs all-season tradeoffs, and EV range impact — all in one guide.
Pre-Calculated Reference Scenarios
Rolling resistance force = Crr × m × g × cos θ. At 90 km/h a typical 1,500 kg sedan with Crr 0.012 produces roughly 177 N of rolling resistance and consumes 4.4 kW purely from tire deformation — before any aerodynamic drag or hill climbing.
- 1,500 kg sedan, Crr 0.012, flat road at 90 km/h~177 N rolling force · ~4.4 kW power loss · ~49 Wh/km
- 1,900 kg EV, Crr 0.007, flat road at 120 km/h~127 N rolling force · ~4.2 kW power loss · 35 Wh/km from tires
- 1,500 kg car, Crr 0.012, 5% uphill at 80 km/h~157 N rolling + 735 N grade = 892 N total · ~19.8 kW
- 80 kg cyclist, Crr 0.004, flat road at 40 km/h~3.1 N rolling force · ~35 W power loss
Values computed at flat grade, new asphalt surface. Aerodynamic drag excluded to isolate rolling resistance. Dynamic Crr correction applied per ISO 28580.
How to Use This Calculator
- 1
Select a vehicle scenario or enter custom inputs
Click one of the quick scenario presets (Highway Sedan, EV, Heavy Truck, Road Cyclist, Off-Road SUV) to auto-fill all fields, or enter your own vehicle mass and speed manually.
- 2
Choose a tire type and Crr preset
Select from 8 tire category presets — from EV-optimized (Crr 0.007) to all-terrain (Crr 0.030) — or choose 'Custom Crr' to enter a specific coefficient from manufacturer data or test reports.
- 3
Select the road surface
Pick the surface type your vehicle will travel on. The calculator applies a surface multiplier to the base Crr — smooth concrete reduces it by 15%; loose gravel can double it.
- 4
Set road grade
Use the slider to input road incline from −15% (downhill) to +15% (uphill). Grade force is calculated separately from rolling resistance for accuracy.
- 5
Enable aerodynamic drag (optional)
Toggle aerodynamic drag on and expand the aero panel to enter your vehicle's drag coefficient (Cd), frontal area (m²), and air density for altitude correction.
- 6
Enable dynamic Crr for highway speeds
Toggle the ISO 28580 speed-dependent Crr correction for speeds above 60 km/h. This accounts for the real-world Crr increase at higher speeds due to heat buildup and contact patch geometry changes.
- 7
Read results across three tabs
Switch between the Forces tab (N or lbf), Power tab (W, kW, or hp), and Efficiency tab (Wh/km, kWh/100km, EV range, and ±10% Crr sensitivity analysis).
Rolling Resistance Formula Explained
F_total = F_roll + F_grade + F_aero
F_roll = Crr × m × g × cos(arctan(grade/100))
F_grade = m × g × sin(arctan(grade/100))
F_aero = ½ × ρ × Cd × A × v²
P_roll = F_roll × v [Watts, where v is in m/s]
Dynamic Crr = Crr₀ × (1 + 0.0015 × v[km/h]) — ISO 28580
Speed dependency (ISO 28580 correction). Rolling resistance is not constant with speed. As speed increases, centrifugal forces alter the tire shape, the contact patch geometry changes, and heat accumulation raises the effective hysteresis rate. ISO 28580 models this as a linear approximation: every 10 km/h of additional speed adds roughly 1.5% to effective Crr. At 120 km/h, dynamic Crr is ~18% higher than the rated low-speed value.
Aerodynamic drag vs. rolling resistance crossover. At low speeds (below ~60 km/h), rolling resistance dominates total wheel resistance. At ~80–90 km/h for a typical sedan (Cd 0.30, A 2.2 m²), the forces are approximately equal. Above 100 km/h, aerodynamic drag grows as v² and quickly dominates — which is why highway fuel economy is far more sensitive to Cd and frontal area than urban driving, where tire Crr quality matters more.
Rolling Resistance Reference Values by Vehicle Class
Pre-calculated rolling resistance force and power loss for common vehicle classes at typical operating conditions. Flat road, new asphalt. Dynamic Crr correction applied. Aerodynamic drag excluded to isolate tire contribution.
| Vehicle Type | Mass | Speed | Crr | Roll Force | Power Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact Car (Civic, Corolla) | 1,200 kg | 90 km/h | 0.012 | 141 N | 3.5 kW |
| Mid-Size Sedan (Camry, Accord) | 1,500 kg | 90 km/h | 0.012 | 177 N | 4.4 kW |
| SUV / Crossover (RAV4, CR-V) | 1,900 kg | 100 km/h | 0.014 | 261 N | 7.3 kW |
| EV Sedan (Tesla Model 3) | 1,850 kg | 120 km/h | 0.007 | 127 N | 4.2 kW |
| Full-Size Truck (F-150, Silverado) | 2,500 kg | 100 km/h | 0.015 | 368 N | 10.2 kW |
| Long-Haul Truck (18-wheeler) | 25,000 kg | 90 km/h | 0.006 | 1,472 N | 36.8 kW |
| Road Cyclist (rider + bike) | 80 kg | 35 km/h | 0.004 | 3.1 N | 30 W |
| MTB / Gravel Rider | 90 kg | 20 km/h | 0.012 | 10.6 N | 59 W |
Power loss = F_roll × v. Total drivetrain power at highway speed is significantly higher once aerodynamic drag is included. Use the calculator above with aero enabled for total resistance power.
Factors That Determine Tire Rolling Resistance
Nine measurable factors shape a tire's rolling resistance: compound hysteresis, inflation pressure, vehicle mass and load, vehicle speed, road surface texture, tire temperature, tire diameter and width, wheel alignment (toe scrub), and environmental conditions. The calculator lets you vary speed, surface, and grade directly. For full detail on each factor — including real-world magnitudes and practical reduction tips — see the companion guide.
9 factors explained in depth