That’s the finding of recent research commissioned by Goodyear in several European countries in advance of the launch of its new truck tyre lines.

The survey was conducted by MV2 Conseil on behalf of Goodyear. Around 500 truck fleets from France, Italy, Germany, Poland and Spain were interviewed between June and July 2013, with 77% of respondents classing rolling resistance as “very important” or “extremely important”. Mileage (76%) and wet grip (75%) classified second and third.

The survey also showed that 91% of the fleets interviewed predict a further increase in fuel prices and 84% of them expect an increase in other costs as well. As a result, fleets are focusing more than ever on reducing their operational costs, including concentrating on selecting the best tyres for their business model. This reflects in the fact that 70% of the fleets interviewed claim they already purchase fuel-efficient tyres or that they will start doing so in the near future (21%).

In response, Goodyear has developed the new Mileage and new Fuel Efficient truck tyre lines, called, respectively, KMAX and FUELMAX. These will be launched in September 2013 and will focus on mileage and fuel efficiency without compromising other areas. High levels of performance in the areas of durability, wet grip and traction will also be offered.