Nitrogen in highly specialised tyre service applications
Thanks to these inert properties, tyres inflated with nitrogen are beneficial for highly specialised service applications in demanding environments, such as aviation, mining or construction.
Dry nitrogen mitigates tyre pressure variations, so nitrogen-filled tyres are also used in professional racing, where even the smallest changes in pressure can impact ultra-high-performance vehicle handling at extreme speeds.
So, now we come to the big question: is nitrogen right for your tyres? The fact of the matter is that inflating tyres with nitrogen is not necessary for typical everyday use on a passenger car. It might even be considered a frivolous waste of money.
To be clear, inflating tyres with nitrogen is not harmful. Moreover, the PSI stays steady in the long term. (Tyres filled with regular air lose pressure through permeation a little more quickly.)
But for the most part, nitrogen makes absolutely no difference when it comes to a loss of pressure caused by tyre punctures, tyre bead leaks, valve leaks or other mechanical leaks. There’s no discernible benefit over air-filled tyres, and that includes performance factors such as rolling resistance, fuel economy and tyre ageing.