Removing the wheel covers from your Tesla, a very bad idea!

Not just aesthetic elements, the wheel covers play a central role in the performance of electric cars like the Tesla.

Combining utility and pleasure is a quest as old as humanity. And electric cars are not exempt from this forward chase: how to make a large SUV, now circulating in millions around the planet, sexier? An SUV that your neighbor, your father-in-law, or that colleague you don’t like at work also possesses? For that is the problem with the Tesla Model Y: it’s become ordinary.

What is its recipe for success, aside from its excellent electric performance? The subject is obviously subjective, but the generic blandness of its design makes it quite common, whether in the United States, China, or Europe. Historically, manufacturers were compelled to design vehicles specifically for their target markets. Tesla was one of the first “mass market” manufacturers to break this mold by producing so-called “global” vehicles in English.

Thus, the temptation to distinguish itself is great, especially since under the 19-inch Gemini wheel covers of a Tesla Model Y Propulsion, there are pretty nice and sporty aluminum wheels. But then, why simply not remove the wheel covers?

What impact on range?

In the United States, a YouTuber had fun replicating, on the same 20-mile (32 kilometers) course and with the same vehicle (tires, weight, pressure, etc.), the impact of the wheel covers on the range of his Tesla Model Y Long Range.

He created five situations: without the Gemini wheel covers, then with them, and finally with three other designs of wheel covers sold by specialized Tesla shops online.

The result is informative with projected ranges:

• Without Tesla wheel covers: 250 miles of range, or 402 kilometers
• With Tesla wheel covers: 268 miles of range, or 433 kilometers
• The three other wheel covers had nearly the same performance as the Tesla wheel covers

Thus, we understand that the Tesla wheel covers ensure an additional 7.7% range. Who would have thought that simple pieces of plastic with twisted shapes could do that? The reduction of aerodynamic drag minimizes air resistance around the wheels, which is one of the main sources of resistance to a moving vehicle. By reducing this drag, less energy is required to maintain speed, which allows for energy savings and therefore a longer distance to be traveled. QED!

Now, you’ll think twice before removing your wheel covers.

READ ALSO: Tesla Model Y 2025: makeover workshop?