Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ vs Goodyear ElectricDrive SCT tires

Bridgestone and Goodyear are two tire giants leading the American tire industry and have a huge fan base because of their outstanding products. Their Potenza and ElectricDrive tires showcase cutting-edge technologies and innovative features and are considered among a few of the dominating tires in the segment.

Both, the Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ and the Goodyear ElectricDrive SCT are two outstanding UHP all-season tires that are suitable for use on sports cars, sedans, coupes, hybrids, and EVs. These tires sport advancements in terms of handling, performance, ride comfort, year-round traction, and longevity.

There is no doubt that these tires deliver an exhilarating performance, but which of these two ultra-high-performance all-season tires can be an ideal choice for you? To answer this, we have compared Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ vs ElectricDrive SCT tires, using our SimpleScore rating system.

Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ tires

Introduced in the first half of 2021, the Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ is an ultra-high-performance (UHP) all-season tire suitable for use on sports cars, sedans, coupes, EVs, and hybrids, and comes with year-round capabilities. The tire offers impressive braking performance and also assures solid handling and grip in wet, dry, and light wintry conditions. Improved snow traction, hydroplaning resistance, in-time dry and wet braking, and long-lasting performance are the key highlights of the tire. Additionally, the Potenza RE980AS+ is also one of those rarest ultra-high-performance types of tires that are also covered by warranty coverage.

Overall, the Potenza RE980AS+ scores an excellent 9.4 SimpleScore, thanks to its exceptional traction, outstanding handling, and long-lasting tread life.

Goodyear ElectricDrive SCT tires

The Goodyear ElectricDrive SCT was launched in December 2021 and is an ultra-high-performance all-season tire that’s primarily designed for use on electric vehicles and hybrids. The tire features many great technologies and features that enhance the driving experience and extend the driving range. Improved handling performance, year-round traction, longer tread life, and quieter rides are a few of the strong areas of this tire. Like its counterpart, the ElectricDrive SCT is also offered with an attractive warranty, making the ownership experience more pleasing.

Overall, the ElectricDrive SCT scores a great 8.8 out of 10 SimpleScore rating because of its excellent tread life, responsive handling, and year-round traction performance.

Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ vs Goodyear ElectricDrive SCT tires on traction

The two tires picked for comparison here are different than the standard ultra-high-performance tires that offer traction only in dry and wet conditions. The Potenza tires and the ElectricDrive tires are way ahead with their ability to provide year-round traction performance. When we analyzed the traction scores of both tires, there was a huge gap between the scores.

With an excellent 9.9 out of 10 SimpleScore rating, the Potenza RE980AS+ boasts a new-gen ultra-high grip rubber compound that provides confident dry and wet traction, and improved light snow traction. The see-through void and open shoulder slots of the Potenza RE980AS+ reduce the risk of hydroplaning and force water out of the footprint for increased wet traction. The sipes across the tread also contribute to boosting traction performance, especially in wet and snowy conditions.

On the contrary, the ElectricDrive SCT scores an 8.4 out of 10 in traction. The specialized tread compound of the tire offers enhanced all-season traction, while the optimized asymmetric tread pattern provides better traction and grip on wet and dry surfaces. The tire sports four channel grooves that disperse water from the contact patch area and increase traction performance. Additionally, there are sipes spread across the tread area that ensure increased grip and traction.

When it comes to traction performance, it is the Potenza RE980AS+ that has a slight edge over the ElectricDrive SCT.

ADVANTAGE: Potenza RE980AS+

Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ vs Goodyear ElectricDrive SCT tires on handling

While traction plays an important role, the handling performance can’t be ignored when buying a set of UHP all-season tires as it is related to high-speed stability, faster accelerations, confident lane-changing, in-control cornering, and in-time braking. When comparing the handling scores of both tires, we noticed a huge gap in the scores.

Starting with the Potenza RE980AS+, the tire scores an excellent 9.9 SimpleScore in handling. This high SimplScore is achieved because of the tire’s advanced tread pattern design that’s engineered with 3D full-depth sipes and chamfered slots to provide confident braking and handling in dry and wet conditions. The new ultra-high compound also assists in improving handling performance while keeping the tire glued to the surface for confident year-round drives. Additionally, the wider footprint of the Potenza RE980AS+ improves the cornering performance and allows the tire to maintain stability during high-speed driving and faster accelerations. Seamless lane change is facilitated by the three center ribs of the tire.

Contrarily, the ElectricDrive SCT scores an 8.5 SimpleScore rating in handling, which is achieved mainly because of the optimized asymmetric tread pattern that provides all-season handling and boosts performance in wet and dry conditions. Likewise, the advanced rubber compound of the ElectriDrive SCT also helps in maintaining a consistent grip on the surface so that the tire doesn’t lose control even when the vehicle is moving at high speeds. In addition, the solid shoulder blocks and center ribs of the tire boost cornering performance and stability.

Looking at the scores of both tires, it is clear that the Potenza RE980AS+ beats the ElectricDrive SCT by a big margin.

ADVANTAGE: Potenza RE980AS+

Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ vs Goodyear ElectricDrive SCT tires on longevity

Ultra-high-performance all-season tires must have the ability to withstand faster accelerations, high-speed driving pressures, instant brakings, and sharp lane-changing and turns. They must be durable enough to handle all these pressures and must serve for a longer period. When we compared the longevity scores of both tires, there was a slightly different result than expected. Let’s talk about it more in detail.

The Potenza RE980AS+ has an 8.6 SimpleScore in longevity, which is achieved because of the tire’s solid rubber compound and an optimized tread pattern. While the rubber compound allows the tire to withstand driving pressures, the optimized tread pattern prevents irregular wear. The flat footprint of the tire also assures an even wear for a long-lasting tread life. Additionally, the tire is also covered by a 50,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, which also indicates that the tire is built to last longer.

On the other hand, the ElectricDrive SCT scores a better 9.3 SimpleScore rating as compared to its rival and is also covered by a 60,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty. While the attractive tread life warranty indicates that the tire is made to serve longer, the increased SimpleScore rating is achieved because this tire is more specific to EVs and hybrids and Goodyear has put in a ton of effort to ensure that it lasts longer to meet the long-lasting needs of these vehicles. Additionally, the specialized tread compound of the ElectricDrive SCT ensures that the tire wears at a slow rate.

In the long-lasting area, we discovered that although the Bridgestone tires had a good rating and impressive features to offer a longer service life, the Goodyear tires were exceptionally good with a higher rating and a bundle of great features to boost tread life.

ADVANTAGE: ElectricDrive SCT

When to use each

Both tires are made for year-round use and offer traction performance in dry, wet, and light winter weather conditions. As these tires are designed and engineered to offer sporty performance, sharp handling, response, faster accelerations, and confident stability during high-speed drives, they are good for use on vehicles that need tires to meet higher performance standards. No doubt both tires can also be used on the Teslas and other popular hybrids, the ElectricDrive SCT is more dedicated towards EVs and hybrids and is better optimized to enhance the performance of such vehicles.

However, it is to be noted that these tires are not Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified and are not suitable for use in moderate to severe winter weather conditions. Additionally, these tires are made for use on paved roads and should not be considered for driving in rough conditions.

The Potenza RE980AS+ is suitable for vehicles with a rim size measured between 16- to 20-inch, whereas the ElectricDrive SCT can be used on vehicles with a 17-inch rim size.

Which one should you choose?

When we compared the scores of both tires, we found that the Potenza tires were ahead of the ElectricDrive tires with an overall score of 9.4 vs 8.8. However, these tires are slightly different than each other and their utilities also vary slightly. Therefore, you must weigh the differences against each other to pick the one that suits your needs the best.

When it comes to price, the Potenza RE980AS+ is available at a starting price of at least $131.53 per tire, while the ElectricDrive SCT comes at a starting price of at least $173.97 per tire. This means, a set of four Potenza tires will cost you at least $526.12, while a set of four ElectricDrive tires will cost you at least $695.88.

Based on SimpleScore, you should consider the Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ if you:

• Drive a small sedan like the Chevrolet Cruze, a compact luxury sedan like the BMW 3 Series, a premium mid-size sedan like the Jaguar XF, or an all-electric car like the Telsa Model 3.
• Need performance-oriented tires that offer better year-round traction performance (9.9 vs 8.4).
• Need tires that offer better handling (9.9 vs 8.5).
• Need a highly compatible and more affordable tire.
• Need tires that are compatible with gas cars, hybrids, and EVs.

Conversely, you should consider the ElectricDrive SCT if you:

• Drive a smaller electric car like the Nissan Leaf, an EV subcompact car like the Chevrolet Bolt.
• Need tires that are long-lasting (9.3 vs 8.6).
• Need tires that come with better warranty coverage.
• Need tires that are dedicated to certain EVs and hybrids.
• Are comfortable paying extra to own a set of tires that have traits of a typical EV tire
• Need tires for your vehicle that has a 17-inch rim size.

While the Potenza RE980AS+ vs ElectricDrive SCT tires might not look like a close comparison at first sight, but their similarities on the performance front and their utility especially in the case of EVs and hybrids make them fair competitors. But, before making a purchase you must compare their respective advantages and proceed with the buying decision after considering factors like the vehicle you drive, where and how you drive, and your take on factors like longevity, handling, traction, and more.

Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help as our helpful agents are more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.