Sold for €94,990: the Tesla Model S equipped with €25 hubcaps

Tesla now dresses its Model S with aerodynamic plastic covers.

Breaking taboos. It’s the motto of Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, for years. The codes of luxury are not eternal, and what defines a luxury car, even sold for nearly 100,000 euros in its base version, should not turn its back on plastic. Moreover, the Tesla Model S Plaid, sold for 109,990 euros in France in April 2024, also features 19-inch Tempest covers… made of plastic.

You had to be daring, and Tesla did it. A very impressive engineering model, and its accessory price, in case of theft or damage, is only 25 euros each. That’s 100 euros including tax for four. At least, we can convince ourselves that Tesla invested the remaining 94,890 euros in the development of the car…

Why plastic covers?

Tesla has been the target of numerous criticisms in the United States for several months. So much so that its dominant position prompted the organization responsible for approving electric vehicle autonomy to reconsider its calculation methods. Result: Tesla’s range drastically decreased in 2024! The psychological impact on the customer is enormous. In the case of the Model S discussed here, the range of the Plaid version has notably fallen from 396 to 359 miles, from 637 to 577 km (-60 km).

But more importantly, this drop could only be contained through simple aerodynamic tricks, such as using smaller diameter wheels (now 19 inches instead of 21 inches in 2023) and covers with very full design to reduce air turbulence.

Finally, note that the Arachnid 21-inch wheels that once equipped the Model S and Model S Plaid are now priced at 4900 euros. Strangely, switching to covers did not come with a decrease in catalogue price. Isn’t that a bit of a double penalty for the customer? In Europe, with the mixed WLTP cycle, range varies between 723 and 634 km depending on wheel choice, their diameter, but especially their footprint on the ground.

This tire question is also central to active safety, since we can assume that grip has been reduced. With the 19-inch Tempest wheels, tire dimensions now are 255/45R19 at the front and 285/40R19 at the rear. However, with the previous Arachnid wheels, the footprint was 265/35R21 at the front and 295/30R21 at the rear.

Therefore, the conclusion is clear: the Tesla Model S (and Plaid) consumes less, but this is largely because its grip and rolling resistance have been reduced.

And all of this, Tesla had very carefully not told us…

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