Calculate the force and power required to overcome rolling resistance for a vehicle.
Last updated: March 2026 | By ForgeCalc Engineering
Rolling resistance is the force resisting the motion when a body (such as a ball, tire, or wheel) rolls on a surface. It is mainly caused by non-elastic effects; that is, not all the energy needed for deformation (or movement) of the wheel or road is recovered when the pressure is removed.
For a vehicle, rolling resistance is one of the three main forces it must overcome to move, along with aerodynamic drag and mechanical friction. At low speeds, rolling resistance is the dominant force, while at high speeds, aerodynamic drag becomes more significant.
Where:
• F_rr is the rolling resistance force (N)
• C_rr is the rolling resistance coefficient
• m is the mass of the vehicle (kg)
• g is gravitational acceleration (9.81 m/s²)
• P is the power required to overcome resistance (W)
• v is the velocity (m/s)
Higher tire pressure reduces the deformation of the tire as it rolls, which significantly lowers the rolling resistance coefficient (C_rr) and improves fuel efficiency.
Steel wheels on steel rails have an extremely low C_rr (around 0.001), which is why trains are so energy-efficient for moving heavy loads over long distances.
Hysteresis is the primary cause of rolling resistance in rubber tires. It's the energy lost as heat when the tire rubber is repeatedly compressed and expanded during rotation.
Generally, larger diameter wheels have lower rolling resistance because they deform the surface less and have a more favorable angle of attack on surface irregularities.
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