New 19" Sport aero cover wheels for China market available in USA this year?

[voip-ninja]

Anyone have any thoughts on if/when the 19" new sport wheels introduced for the China market with Aero covers will be available for sale to US customers?

I'm in the market for 19" wheels for my car that came with 18" aeros. I have mounted my winter tires on the 18"s and would prefer to just leave that as my winter setup.

The advantage of the 19" aero cap wheels is that they should get a measurable range boost when the aero caps are on and I expect Tesla will also make some kind of wheel cover kit for running them "naked".... so I'd have the option of putting the aero covers on for range on road trips.

 

[YisSerL]

I think Tesla should make them available to the US market if there is demand for it. How much will they charge is another story. I assume these would be just cast wheels.

Or I'll just get my set from taobao with free shipping from some random vendor.

 

[voip-ninja]

I think Tesla should make them available to the US market if there is demand for it. How much will they charge is another story. I assume these would be just cast wheels.

Or I'll just get my set from taobao with free shipping from some random vendor.

As far as I know Tesla have never offered cast wheels on any of their cars. Even the 18" aeros are forged wheels.

 

[YisSerL]

Are you sure? I didn't think they were. But great if that's true.

Just saw this, but for Model S:
Are the OEM wheels cast or forged?

 

[voip-ninja]

Are you sure? I didn't think they were. But great if that's true.

Just saw this, but for Model S:
Are the OEM wheels cast or forged?

According to a post in the aftermarket wheel forum at M3OC from someone in the industry, all of the Tesla wheels are forged.

 

[Jedi2155]

So I've done a ton of research on the subject and I believe it can be summarized into 3 categories:

Gravity Cast - Metal is poured into a die and "cast" (weakest and heaviest)
Flow Formed - I imagine its like a molten metal that is spun into a shape. (Important bits have the strength of forged but much less cost)
Forged - Machined from a single billet of metal (strongest, but most expensive).

Links:
https://konigwheels.com/wheel-info-tech/what-is-flow-forming-technology/
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=90


From what I understand forged wheels cost somewhere between $1000-2000 PER RIM if not more (usually $4K to $10k for a set). The Tesla 19 and 20" wheels for the Model 3 are flow formed. I don't know if the 18" are flow formed or gravity cast.

For reference FORGED wheels from Tesla in the S/X are $6000 and $6800 respectively. Forged wheels are simply far more expensive to produce.

I'm very excited for the new Model 3 referral reward for performance forged wheels and I'm wondering if the 19" Chinese set is the Forged or another flow formed design.

 

[justaute]

Are you sure? I didn't think they were. But great if that's true.

Just saw this, but for Model S:
Are the OEM wheels cast or forged?

Had read somewhere the 18" aero wheels are flow formed or rotary forged -- same difference.

 

[voip-ninja]

So I've done a ton of research on the subject and I believe it can be summarized into 3 categories:

Gravity Cast - Metal is poured into a die and "cast" (weakest and heaviest)
Flow Formed - I imagine its like a molten metal that is spun into a shape. (Important bits have the strength of forged but much less cost)
Forged - Machined from a single billet of metal (strongest, but most expensive).

Links:
Flow Forming Technology Wheel Manufacturing Process and Benefits
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=90


From what I understand forged wheels cost somewhere between $1000-2000 PER RIM if not more (usually $4K to $10k for a set). The Tesla 19 and 20" wheels for the Model 3 are flow formed. I don't know if the 18" are flow formed or gravity cast.

For reference FORGED wheels from Tesla in the S/X are $6000 and $6800 respectively. Forged wheels are simply far more expensive to produce.

I'm very excited for the new Model 3 referral reward for performance forged wheels and I'm wondering if the 19" Chinese set is the Forged or another flow formed design.

As @justaute pointed out, flow forming wheels are also often referenced as "rotary forged". Flow form still has most of the benefits of forged wheels.

In any event, there is so far no evidence that any of Tesla's oem wheels are cheap cast wheels.

 

[Jedi2155]

As @justaute pointed out, flow forming wheels are also often referenced as "rotary forged". Flow form still has most of the benefits of forged wheels.

In any event, there is so far no evidence that any of Tesla's oem wheels are cheap cast wheels.

I would agree on these points completely. Flow Form offers most of the benefits at a fraction of the costs.

 

[voip-ninja]

I would agree on these points completely. Flow Form offers most of the benefits at a fraction of the costs.

It really boils down to understanding the advantages of any 'forging' method to casting. Casting is pouring metal into a mold and letting it cool. This is the least expensive way to produce something like a wheel. There are a lot of disadvantages, such as the product being heavier and being weaker. Tiny pockets of air or where the metal has different consistency result in a weaker product.

Kind of a big deal with super heavy Tesla vehicles... they don't want a wheel fracturing when someone hits a pot hole. Weight differences on the very large wheel sizes that are popular on their cars could also slightly affect range.

Full forging involves putting a steel alloy billet into a press under tremendous pressure and fully forming the wheel. As the billet is itself is formed from an extrusion or continuous casting process the steel is much stronger than what you get if you just pour molten steel into a mold and let it cool.

Flow forming pours the molten steel into a rotating mold so that the metal aligns itself structurally and any air pockets are eliminated. From what I can tell it is just as strong and almost the same weight as full forging.

To sum up, I would be surprised if the 18" aeros are anything other than flow formed (rotary forged) wheels.

Now the $35,000 Model 3 very well might end up going with a cheaper steel wheel behind the aero cover. It's actually a great way for Tesla to save some money. Even with the volumes that Tesla buys at it's likely they would have a $50 or $100 difference in cost per wheel if they went with a steel rim on the base level 3 vs the higher end 18" alloy aero.

 

[Ciditad]

Full forging involves putting a steel alloy billet into a press under tremendous pressure and fully forming the wheel.

You mean an aluminum billet? I've seen it done and it's truly impressive.

 

[GregD60]

If you go to the Tesla China website tesla.cn and run the Model 3 configurator, it shows the LR AWD model with 18" Aeros as having a 590 km range, while it shows the Performance model with the 19" Aeros as having a 595 km range. So it seems that the 19" Chinese Aero wheels are actually more efficient that the 18" Aero wheels. I'd be interested in a set since I'd like to run 19s while having as minimal a range reduction as possible.

 

[Watts_Up]

If you go to the Tesla China website tesla.cn and run the Model 3 configurator,
it shows the LR AWD model with 18" Aeros as having a 590 km range,
while it shows the Performance model with the 19" Aeros as having a 595 km range.
So it seems that the 19" Chinese Aero wheels are actually more efficient that the 18" Aero wheels.
I'd be interested in a set since I'd like to run 19s while having as minimal a range reduction as possible.

I cannot find the Tesla store under tesla.cn?
It would be interesting to see if a set of 19" wheels would be available.

 

[Ciditad]

I cannot find the Tesla store under tesla.cn?
It would be interesting to see if a set of 19" wheels would be available.

Go to www.tesla.cn

 

[Watts_Up]

Go to www.tesla.cn

On the top right tab list, there is only "Tesla 账户" (Tesla account) but I cannot find any "Tesla Shop" tab?

under "问题解答" (support), I only fond a link for Model S accessories and Model X accessories.

 

[Darwood77]

Come on Tesla, offer these Stateside. I’d buy them in a heartbeat. Tesla definitely need to consider offering more wheel options.

 

[voip-ninja]

Come on Tesla, offer these Stateside. I’d buy them in a heartbeat. Tesla definitely need to consider offering more wheel options.

Indeed!

I ended up buying winter tires for my 18"s last year but would love to get the new 19"s with some summer rubber next spring.

 

[GregD60]

Indeed!

I ended up buying winter tires for my 18"s last year but would love to get the new 19"s with some summer rubber next spring.

Same here. I also think the 19" China wheels would be an excellent choice for winter tires for Performance Package cars. If Tesla makes these available in the U.S., I think they'll sell a lot of them.

 

[GregD60]

Does anyone know if the Michelin PS4S tires also come on the Chinese Performance Model 3s, in a 19" size of course?

 

[GregD60]

Same here. I also think the 19" China wheels would be an excellent choice for winter tires for Performance Package cars. If Tesla makes these available in the U.S., I think they'll sell a lot of them.

I wonder if Tesla read my post.

Model 3 19” Gemini Wheel and Winter Tire Package

Hopefully, we'll be able to buy the wheels by themselves at some point.