Aero Wheel Covers - Do They Add Range?

[chronopc]

Just curious if anyone has done any type of testing to determine if the Aero wheel covers add range.

 

[Zoomit]

Yes, it’s in the archives.

Removing covers reduces highway range ~4%

 

[azred]

Yes, it’s in the archives.

Removing covers reduces highway range ~4%

On the one hand ugly wheels increase range. On the other hand, it's a crime to put ugly wheels on any car, especially a $50k+ car.

And don't tell me the 18" wheels without the caps aren't ugly, too. Less ugly, but no one would buy them aftermarket.

Long live the beautiful 19" wheels.

Cue all of the disagrees.

 

[SD_Engnr]

I'll go ahead and chime in, because why not. They do not add range. They are more aero efficient, and all others are slightly less efficient. So, while you could argue that other wheel options reduce range, these do not actually add anything. And they're not so bad looking... (However, Iwouldn't drive around with them).

 

[Canuck]

Yes, they add range - 4.3% in a real-world efficiency test:

Tesla Model 3 Aero vs Non-Aero wheels real-world efficiency test

I've gone for function over form since the 4.3% range increase makes a difference when we take it to our cabin, which we are doing at least once a week now. I also thought they looked ugly but when we picked up our 3 both my wife and daughter liked the aero caps much better than 19" silver ones people were picking up, and when I took off the hub caps and put the cap kit on they complained it looked worse, and my daughter said the hub caps were the current style -- "black out" is the style, she claimed. So now they've started to grow on me and I'm actually starting to see the beauty in their efficient functional form, and their 4.3% range increase, especially with no free supercharging like my S.

 

[insaneoctane]

They add range between me and the car because I won't go near those ugly things!

 

[xav-]

On the one hand ugly wheels increase range. On the other hand, it's a crime to put ugly wheels on any car, especially a $50k+ car.

And don't tell me the 18" wheels without the caps aren't ugly, too. Less ugly, but no one would buy them aftermarket.

Long live the beautiful 19" wheels.

Cue all of the disagrees.

Im with you on the looks and i got the 19 precisely for that reason.

Now I’ll be honest with everyone: I am not close to getting 310 miles of range (I won’t even speak for that 334 mile range which seems so unreal to me). Unless I drive 65 mph on the freeway I won’t get 235 watts per mile. I routinely get 260+ watts per mile doing 70 mph on the freeway.

For every 10 miles driven I probably lose on average 12 to 13 miles of range.. easy. And that’s when I go easy.

 

[Canuck]

For every 10 miles driven I probably lose on average 12 to 13 miles of range.. easy. And that’s when I go easy.

And that's in the summer -- well, you're from Orange County CA, so there's no real winter. But for us up north, with the stronger resistance of cold air, and the need for heat, that 2 to 3% loss climbs to 20 to 30% or more.

 

[chronopc]

Now I’ll be honest with everyone: I am not close to getting 310 miles of range (I won’t even speak for that 334 mile range which seems so unreal to me). Unless I drive 65 mph on the freeway I won’t get 235 watts per mile. I routinely get 260+ watts per mile doing 70 mph on the freeway.

For every 10 miles driven I probably lose on average 12 to 13 miles of range.. easy. And that’s when I go easy.

I drove from SF to LA with the Aero wheels on and was mostly traveling at 70 mph on the freeway and I averaged around 230 for my entire LA trip. So it would seem to suggest that the increase in range is correct.

I don't like how they look either, but they are super easy to pop on and off so for a long road trip I'll use them.

 

[chronopc]

On the one hand ugly wheels increase range. On the other hand, it's a crime to put ugly wheels on any car, especially a $50k+ car.

And don't tell me the 18" wheels without the caps aren't ugly, too. Less ugly, but no one would buy them aftermarket.

Long live the beautiful 19" wheels.

Cue all of the disagrees.

If the difference between these two are worth $1,500 to you then that's good news for Tesla. People like you are providing better margins and helping them become profitable.

 

[xav-]

I drove from SF to LA with the Aero wheels on and was mostly traveling at 70 mph on the freeway and I averaged around 230 for my entire LA trip. So it would seem to suggest that the increase in range is correct.

I don't like how they look either, but they are super easy to pop on and off so for a long road trip I'll use them.

I am not a big fan of the look without the cover either. Have you thought about painting them or something? I saw a picture of them painted in gloss black and it actually looked much better to me. Can’t remember where I saw that.

 

[xav-]

If the difference between these two are worth $1,500 to you then that's good news for Tesla. People like you are providing better margins and helping them become profitable.


View attachment 316349

I think it’s descently priced. I looked at aftermarket and it wasn’t worth it. I would rather give my money to Tesla than those aftermarket tuners who charge an arm and a leg and outsource everything to China anyway

 

[WhiteMountains]

How the aeros look depends a lot on the color of the car. They look fine on the red cars. I had considered taking the covers off before I took delivery, but once I saw it in person, they look fine. I do agree that they are not the most attractive against certain other colors.

 

[xav-]

If the difference between these two are worth $1,500 to you then that's good news for Tesla. People like you are providing better margins and helping them become profitable.


View attachment 316349

Picture doesn’t do it justice IMO. I have seen the wheels without the cover just once. It’s literally day and night with the sports wheels.

 

[xav-]

How the aeros look depends a lot on the color of the car. They look fine on the red cars. I had considered taking the covers off before I took delivery, but once I saw it in person, they look fine. I do agree that they are not the most attractive against certain other colors.

One thing for sure.. they are very popular! Surprising how many S owners will pick the 21 inch wheels (which cost like $10k more over the life of the car), yet I think 2/3rd of the 3s I see have the Aeros on

 

[chronopc]

Picture doesn’t do it justice IMO. I have seen the wheels without the cover just once. It’s literally day and night with the sports wheels.

My boss has the sports wheels so I've seen them very often. I personally don't think they look that great either. I prefer the 18" because I want a more comfortable ride. I'm perfectly fine with how they look.

I think $1,500 to upgrade is perfectly reasonable if you want 19" wheels, but if you're just comparing purely looks I do not think they look $1500 better than the 18".

 

[chronopc]

One thing for sure.. they are very popular! Surprising how many S owners will pick the 21 inch wheels (which cost like $10k more over the life of the car), yet I think 2/3rd of the 3s I see have the Aeros on

I'm not sure if the Aero wheels is what's popular or saving $1,500 is what's popular. But you definitely get faster delivery if you do pick the sports wheels.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Since you can't see your wheels when you are driving...whats all the fuss

Seriously, think it is great that Telsa gives us the option of more efficient Vs. better looking.

 

[Knightshade]

My boss has the sports wheels so I've seen them very often. I personally don't think they look that great either. I prefer the 18" because I want a more comfortable ride. I'm perfectly fine with how they look.

I think $1,500 to upgrade is perfectly reasonable if you want 19" wheels, but if you're just comparing purely looks I do not think they look $1500 better than the 18".

I actually like the 18s with the kit and the aeros removed better than the 19s (and yes I've seen the 19s in person)...

I wouldn't buy either as an aftermarket wheel, but the fact the 18s without covers (to me) look nicer than the 19s and that method is $1450 cheaper ($50 for the kit) and I can always pop the covers back on for a road trip for 4.3% more range is a nice bonus.

 

[chronopc]

I actually like the 18s with the kit and the aeros removed better than the 19s (and yes I've seen the 19s in person)...

I wouldn't buy either as an aftermarket wheel, but the fact the 18s without covers (to me) look nicer than the 19and that method is $1450 cheaper ($50 for the kit) and I can always pop the covers back on for a road trip for 4.3% more range is a nice bonus.

I was considering some after market 18s but then I remembered I wouldn't be able to use the Aero covers on road trips if I did.