OEM Wheels vs FLowform

[D.Jeon]

has anyone used flowform wheels? considering using OEM wheels for winter and flowform wheels for summer? will the lighter wheels help with range?

 

[FurryOne]

will the lighter wheels help with range?

Probably not that you could measure consistantly.

 

[SSedan]

For the sake of this discussion I will use "range" to describe long distance travel and "efficiency" to describe effect on in town day to day energy use.

The idea lighter wheels will increase "range" is crap, lighter wheels in theory would increase range by reducing the energy needed to accelerate. In long distance travel you are likely not putting the car thru many acceleration events so there is little opportunity to save energy during acceleration events. This is why Tesla prioritizes aerodynamics of the wheel and doesn't worry about weight.

Now in town, stop and go lighter wheels can save energy by being easier to accelerate, but i believe this is grossly overstated around here because regenerative braking is a thing to, so EVs can recapture a good portion of the acceleration energy when they slow if you are good with one pedal driving. I will say that in winter, in Toronto temperature will reduce your regenerative braking a lot. So I suppose an argument can be made that those in cold climates might see more benefit to in town efficiency with reduced wheel weight than those in warm climates that get to use regen full time.

Lighter wheels may improve friction brake performance slightly, improve steering feel if you want to enjoy some spirited twisty driving and may improve ride quality a little.

You will find people making all kinds of wild claims. Some will even offer "data" and the vast majority mean well but are ignoring variables. A guy with a prominent Tesla themed YouTube channel had a video where he claimed skinny wheels took his P3 from 360wh/m to 260wh/m at 80mph, that sounds awesome till you understand my 2014 P85 which is a much less efficient car can see both those numbers at that speed, just depends on how much traffic I have around me sharing aerodynamic load. It is a little higher than that at 80mph if i am all.alone on the road which begs the question how did he get a reading of 360wh/m with a 3 that is way too high even for that speed. I don't know maybe low tire pressure, windows open, coarse road surface, rain something was causing greatly elevated consumption giving him a garbage baseline. Another vendor was claiming 17% range increase with ceramic wheel bearings.......which brings us to another point don't you think Tesla has already gotten all the low hanging fruit?

If Tesla could get another 20miles range from wheel weight reduction and call it LR+ and charge $2k don't you think they would?

 

[FurryOne]

I'll stick with my 7 word "Cliff Notes" answer.

 

[SSedan]

Give a man a fish or teach him to fish........

 

[holmgang]

For the sake of this discussion I will use "range" to describe long distance travel and "efficiency" to describe effect on in town day to day energy use.

The idea lighter wheels will increase "range" is crap, lighter wheels in theory would increase range by reducing the energy needed to accelerate. In long distance travel you are likely not putting the car thru many acceleration events so there is little opportunity to save energy during acceleration events. This is why Tesla prioritizes aerodynamics of the wheel and doesn't worry about weight.

Now in town, stop and go lighter wheels can save energy by being easier to accelerate, but i believe this is grossly overstated around here because regenerative braking is a thing to, so EVs can recapture a good portion of the acceleration energy when they slow if you are good with one pedal driving. I will say that in winter, in Toronto temperature will reduce your regenerative braking a lot. So I suppose an argument can be made that those in cold climates might see more benefit to in town efficiency with reduced wheel weight than those in warm climates that get to use regen full time.

Lighter wheels may improve friction brake performance slightly, improve steering feel if you want to enjoy some spirited twisty driving and may improve ride quality a little.

You will find people making all kinds of wild claims. Some will even offer "data" and the vast majority mean well but are ignoring variables. A guy with a prominent Tesla themed YouTube channel had a video where he claimed skinny wheels took his P3 from 360wh/m to 260wh/m at 80mph, that sounds awesome till you understand my 2014 P85 which is a much less efficient car can see both those numbers at that speed, just depends on how much traffic I have around me sharing aerodynamic load. It is a little higher than that at 80mph if i am all.alone on the road which begs the question how did he get a reading of 360wh/m with a 3 that is way too high even for that speed. I don't know maybe low tire pressure, windows open, coarse road surface, rain something was causing greatly elevated consumption giving him a garbage baseline. Another vendor was claiming 17% range increase with ceramic wheel bearings.......which brings us to another point don't you think Tesla has already gotten all the low hanging fruit?

If Tesla could get another 20miles range from wheel weight reduction and call it LR+ and charge $2k don't you think they would?

Or unplugged's magic trunk spoiler that looks largely similar to OEM yet magically triples the downforce and simultaneously cuts drag in half.

 

[m3snowy]

Aren't the OEM wheels flow formed? There're slightly lighter aftermarket flow-formed wheels but most don't have aero covers.