These are among top level results of a tyre test jointly conducted by synthetic high-performance rubber manufacturer Lanxess and the German energy provider RheinEnergie.
The pair used high-performance tyres – graded 'C' or above for fuel efficiency on the EU tyre label – and state that they also commensurately reduce vehicles' CO2 emissions.
They suggest that a fleet of 650 cars or vans up to 3.5 tonnes currently running on tyres with a rolling resistance rating of F could save almost £32,500 a year in fuel costs alone, just by switching to B-rated tyres.
Assumptions are 8,700 miles per vehicle and a diesel price of £0.98/ litre. The CO2 reductions would amount to almost 87 tonnes per year.
Following the tyre test, RheinEnergie has already decided to switch its entire vehicle fleet over to green tyres, starting with around 130 vehicles on its tyre replacement schedule.
The tyre comparison was monitored and verified by TÜV Rheinland, and involved testing over six-months from May to November 2014, using six identical RheinEnergie Ford Transit Connects.
Weighing approximately two tonnes each, the vehicles covered similar areas in Cologne and the surrounding area, using identical loads and refuelling procedures and covrinvg 23,000 miles.