Michelin has declared its support for the European Union’s Euro 7 regulation, which, for the first time, sets limits on tire wear particle emissions. Michelin has said it will be ready to apply the Euro 7 regulation as early as 2028 for its latest products, and in 2030 for all of its automotive ranges.
“As Europe becomes aware of the need to support its industry without giving up on its environmental ambitions, the decisions on the Euro 7 tire testing method perfectly illustrate the choices it faces: either to support innovation and stringency for the benefit of the environment, or to accept compromises that undermine the standard and penalize responsible stakeholders,” said Florent Menegaux, chairman of Michelin.
Adopted in April 2024, the regulation assesses the global emissions of wear particles from all tires sold on the European market. Tires that exceed the established thresholds will no longer be permitted.
Every year, road transportation in Europe generates almost 500,000 metric tons of wear particles from tires. Not all tires are equal when it comes to this phenomenon; emissions can vary by a factor of up to four.
Measuring Euro 7
Ensuring the effectiveness of the Euro 7 regulation depends on the reliability of the measurement method. Two approaches are currently under discussion.
The first approach – real-world on-road testing – measures emissions in grams per kilometer and per ton of load. It provides reliable, reproducible, representative results. Developed and supported by the European automotive industry for the last six years in full transparency with the authorities, it has been adopted by ADAC, the German automobile association, which is recognized for the stringency of its testing and has achieved outcomes that are consistent with manufacturers’ own results, making this method the most robust cornerstone for the Euro 7 regulation.
The second approach – the lab-based drum method – is still under development. This alternative relies on partially defined and non-transparent parameters. It is therefore open to manipulation to meet regulatory thresholds and may not accurately reflect real emissions. In its June 2025 study, ADAC acknowledged that this approach is not yet sufficiently reliable for immediate implementation.
Discrepancies between these two methods have been found. In 28% of cases, the results obtained for the same tire diverge sharply. For example, a tire measured with an abrasion index of 1.42 on the road would be banned from sale, while the same tire could be accepted in the laboratory with a result of 0.83.
Call for action
Michelin said that adopting the laboratory method immediately would entail substantial economic and environmental risks. The company is calling for the immediate application of the real-world test method and the continuation of research on a laboratory-based approach, which could serve as a complementary solution provided it reaches technical maturity.
In related news, The US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) recently welcomed the bipartisan passage of H.J.Res. 61, a resolution that it says “enhances environmental stewardship and reduces financial burdens on tire manufacturing facilities”
