First Impressions - Michelin Primacy A/S Selfseal Tires - A Smart Spare-Free EV Solution

As automakers move towards battery-electric powertrains, many are leaving spare tires behind. Not all. More than a dozen EV models with spares, some full-size, are available in America heading into 2025. Those are the exception, not the rule. Many automakers simply want to save the money, space, and weight of a spare tire. One novel solution to the underlying issue is to use a self-sealing tire that can help you get to safety and a tire store in the event of a puncture. 

Michelin’s Selfseal technology gained notoriety when Chevrolet chose it as the OEM tire for the Bolt. Many Bolt owners have reported that the self-seal did work, and did help them. We took notice and added this tire to some lists of special tires. This month, Acura provided us with a much higher-end BEV that also uses the tire, the ZDX Type S. In our testing, the tire seemed like a smart choice.

Related Story: Michelin Primacy A/S Selfseal Tires Offer More Than Security

The ZDX is a 500 hp performance EV hatchback car with a price tag of $75K. Nobody wants to see their high-end luxury car being towed due to a puncture. The car rides on massive 22-inch tires, so good luck finding one in stock in a pinch. As far as we can remember, we’ve never seen tires this big on a car during our testing. 

The Primacy is one of Michelin’s best-known and much-respected tire models. This all-season touring tire is premium, and we expect a lot of it. We were not disappointed. During our testing, it was in the mid-30F range, and we drove in heavy and light rain. This is a tough set of conditions for any tire since all-season tire compounds get a bit stiff under 40F, and winter tires are not known for being great in rain. However, the Primacy A/S Selfseal was outstanding in our testing.

The grip on wet surfaces was impressive. We experienced no hydroplaning. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of these Michelin tires was their quiet operation in all conditions, particularly on the highway. With zero powertrain noise, tire noise is easy to detect in an EV. That’s why automakers like Tesla opt for tires with special acoustic foam. Our guess is that the stuff inside the Michelin Primacy A/S Selseal that does the sealing acts as a sound-deadening agent. 

From our point of view, all SUVs and all family vehicles should come with at least a temporary spare. However, the ZDX isn't either of those. It’s a car, and it is a luxury model, not a family hauler (though it could certainly handle that duty). Acura was smart to offer owners a bit of protection against punctures by selecting this tire. It made us like a great vehicle even more, knowing that it had this safety feature. 

Testing Fast Facts:
Model - Michelin Primacy A/S Selfseal
Test Tire Size - 275/40R22
Service Description - 107H
Load Rating - XL
Special Feature - Selfseal
Test Temperature 35F
Miles on the tires total = 721
Miles of testing conducted = 256
Vehicle weight ~ 6,000 pounds
Tread depth measured = 7.9 mm
Price - $375 each (Tire rack Price)

Related Story: Michelin Product Managers Explain Why You Don’t Need EV-Specific Tires

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John Goreham is a credentialed New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE int). In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on Linkedin and follow his work on our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John's by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ Grammarly grammar and punctuation software when proofreading. 

Images of Michelin SelfSeal tire by John Goreham. Infographic courtesy of Michelin.