A tread for a vehicle tire, such as a pneumatic vehicle tire, is provided with an electrically conducting layer axially inside a portion of a first, radially outer rubber layer of the tread. The electrically conductive layer extends from a second, radially inner rubber layer of the tread on the radially inner side of the tread rubber material up to a ground contact surface of the tread. The rubber material of the electrically conducting layer and the rubber material of the radially inner rubber layer of the tread have a higher electrical conductivity than the rubber material of the radially outer rubber layer. First, a first rubber layer of higher electrical conductivity is formed over the circumference of the vehicle tire, and an accumulation of rubber material of higher electrical conductivity is built to extend over the circumference of the vehicle tire in a position in the region of axial extent of the layer of rubber material of higher electrical conductivity that is intended to extend up to the ground contact surface in the finished vehicle tire. Then the accumulation of rubber material is shaped to form a web, radially outwards from the inner rubber layer, and in its cross-sectional planes containing the axis of the vehicle tire a predetermined cross-sectional contour. Then the outer rubber layer of lower electrical conductivity is built on the radially outer surface of the first rubber layer, which adjoins the shaped web of rubber material of higher conductivity axially on both sides, and the tread profile is shaped and vulcanized.