Pirelli’s been busy outfitting electric cars with its P Zero tires, but one specific EV model is getting the special treatment from the Italian tire maker. That EV is the long-awaited Aston Martin Rapide E. Not only is the Rapide E the first electric car to come out of Aston Martin, it’s also wearing a set of special P Zero tires that Pirelli created specifically for the Rapide E. The exclusive tires should help Aston Martin's EV achieve its promised performance numbers when it goes on sale sometime in the fourth quarter of 2019.

The tire requirements among electric cars are different when you compare them to traditional gas-powered cars. Since most EVs are quick to accelerate off the line, specific tread patterns are important to help the car’s rear axle handle the amount of torque coming from an electric car’s electric motors. It’s specific details like this that makes electric cars fascinating.

In the case of Aston Martin, it needs a specific set of Pirelli’s P Zero tires for the Rapide E. In the front, the British automaker requires 245/35ZR21 (96Y) XL tires, while at the back, Aston Martin needs 295/30ZR21 (102Y) XL tires from Pirelli. The observant among you will notice that the dimensions of the tires are actually similar to the ones that the Aston Martin Rapide AMR is wearing.

But there’s more to these tires than meets the eye, too. The Y-rating in its nomenclature, for instance, is an indicator that the tires will be able to handle speeds in excess of 186 mph. Other than their ability to withstand speeds that almost reach 190 mph, these tires also ensure low rolling resistance, which, in turn, help improve the range of a single battery charge. They also have to be tough enough to endure the Rapide E’s instant acceleration and handling, especially when it’s pushing its electric motors to their own limits.

There are a lot more details in these tires. The specific requirements are incredible. Then again, all of this is part of the electric car revolution that the industry is in the middle of. It’s not just automakers and tech suppliers that have to work on new products that can be used in this new frontier. Tire makers like Pirelli also have to keep up with the times or risk getting left out of it.

It’s no wonder, then, that even as Pirelli announces the Aston Martin Rapide E’s specific tire requirements, its engineers are still hunkered down with counterparts from the British automaker to fine-tune the tire specs that the Rapide E will eventually use once customer delivers start next year.

Further reading

Read our full speculative review on the 2020 Aston Martin RapidE (EV).

Read our full review on the 2016 Aston Martin RapidE Concept.

Read our full review on the 2017 Aston Martin Rapide.