Michelin says the latest generation Pilot Sport tyres it is supplying to this year’s Formula E electric-only race series are lighter than before and even closer to road car rubber.

The new tyres are 2 kgs lighter for the front wheel, 2.5 at the back, and Michelin says its engineers have worked on reducing the rolling resistance so the single seater cars can make more efficient use of their batteries. The international series has attracted teams from Jaguar and Audi and is widely seen as a high speed test bed for vehicle and component manufacturers gearing up for electric road cars. The company says: “Thanks to its patterned tread and interior diameter of 18 inches, the Michelin Pilot Sport resembles a road tyre. “Its construction and the compounds selected for its tread conceal significant technological innovations that could well be carried over to production tyres in the future.”