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How We Cut EV Tire Costs in Half: Real Road Test of Sailun E-Range EV Tires

Elevate Motor Co
Elevate Motor Co
••5 min read

Stop Overpaying for EV Tires - Can a Budget Tire Really Deliver?

Thinking about spending $1,500 on a new set of EV tires? What if you could save over $800 and still get quiet, efficient, and safe performance? That’s the question we set out to answer on a 36-hour, 2,500-mile collective road trip from our studio to Sailun’s R&D facility near Chattanooga, Tennessee.

We loaded a fleet, Tesla Model 3 Long Range, Tesla Model Y Long Range, and a Chevy Bolt EV, with Sailun E-Range EV tires and put them through cold-weather, windy, and varied-road testing to measure noise, range, and wear.

What We Tested and Why It Matters

Test setup

  • Three cars with the same Sailun E-Range EV tire.
  • Consistent HVAC settings (~70°F), heated seats & steering wheel on low.
  • Multiple legs with Supercharger stops (V4 chargers were a highlight).
  • Real-world winter conditions (19°F–32°F, wind, light snow), a worst-case scenario for range.

What we measured

  1. Efficiency (miles/kWh) across legs and the full trip
  2. Interior noise and NVH (noise, vibration, harshness)
  3. Handling, pothole compliance, and subjective wear impressions

Throughout the trip Carson, Mike, and Perry compared notes, and their impressions were consistent: quieter cabins, solid handling, and range numbers that exceeded our low expectations for such cold conditions.

Key Findings: Range, Noise, and Value

Efficiency

Across the trip the cars averaged just under 3 miles per kWh in brutally cold and windy conditions. Given temps and the use of resistive heaters on older Bolts, that’s a strong showing and suggests the tire’s rolling resistance is well-managed.

Noise & Ride

Carson noted the tires were noticeably quieter than his previous set and even compared favorably to OEM tires. Mike summed it up: “If you didn’t tell me we swapped tires, I wouldn’t have noticed, they handled and sounded like OE.”

Handling & Wear

Potholes, back roads, and light snow didn’t faze the E-Range. Sailun’s manufacturing process (their liquid-phase mixing and tread design) appears to yield uniform wear and balanced traction, a critical factor for EVs where weight and torque stress tires differently.

Price vs Performance

These tires retail at roughly half the cost of many OE EV tires. For drivers on a budget, students, commuters, and anyone looking for value, Sailun’s positioning as a value-tier product that performs like a tier-one tire is compelling.

How Sailun Achieves This: A Short Technical Take

  • Sailun uses a liquid phase mixing process to disperse silica and compounding agents more uniformly in the rubber matrix.
  • That improved dispersion helps balance the rolling resistance–wear–traction triangle.
  • The silent tread design reduces noise without the need for acoustic foam (important because many EVs rely on quieter road noise masking).

Jerry from Sailun’s R&D explained how molecular-level uniformity and tread pitch design deliver this balance, a big part of why the tires felt like OE quality at a fraction of the price.

Practical Tips for EV Owners

  • Check tire pressure before big trips - consistent pressures were vital to our uniform wear and range results.
  • Use PlugShare and plan charging stops - Tesla’s Supercharger UX remains the fastest, easiest option for us on multi-car trips.
  • Treat this as an informed value choice: these are great all-season tires, but not a replacement for dedicated snow tires in deep winter.

Sidebar: Bible Verse & Stewardship

  • “Whoever is faithful with little will also be faithful with much.” — Luke 16:10 (NIV)

Choosing cost-effective, well-engineered options can be an act of stewardship — caring for your resources while keeping safety and community needs in view.

Conclusion + Call To Action

If you’re shopping for replacements and don’t want to overpay for EV-specific marketing, the Sailun E-Range EV tires are a legitimate, budget-minded option that performed like an OEM tire in our cold-weather, long-distance test. Carson, Mike, and Perry all gave the tire high marks — five stars for value and real-world performance.

Want the full visual test and our honest on-the-road commentary? Watch the full video on our YouTube channel and subscribe for more hands-on EV tests and faith-forward discussions: Elevate Motor Co on YouTube.

Thinking about a Tesla? Use our referral link for potential savings or FSD incentives: https://ts.la/perry87840

God bless and drive safe - stewardship, safety, and joy on the road go hand-in-hand.