How to Increase Your Tesla’s Range? Switch Your Wheels!

Aerodynamic drag is the enemy of an electric vehicle because it greatly impacts its consumption and therefore its range.

In Formula 1, an engineer will tell you that the function dictates the shape. For a car sold commercially, things become more complicated. Aesthetics come into play, and compromises between performance and design are always challenging.

The Toyota Prius is the most perfect example: initially very distinctive in terms of bodywork to achieve the most favorable Cx (drag coefficient), it gradually blends in as competition intensifies. But in trying to appeal to everyone, you mainly risk pleasing no one…

In Sweden, a country where the rate of electric cars in the national fleet is probably the highest in the world, a development studio – The New Aero – designed a wheel rim that ranges from 19 to 22 inches in diameter. The “Razor” is, according to the Swedish company, “the wheel that Tesla didn’t make”.

With a very solid central design and fins on the edges, the Razor promises an increase in highway range of 2 to 7%, depending on the vehicle, knowing that all Tesla models (3, Y, S, and Y) are eligible. In other words, for cars with a range from 455 to 720 km (WLTP mixed cycle), gains could reach from 9 to 50 km. Not insignificant.

To achieve this, the overall drag of the car would be reduced by 9.9% thanks to improved airflow guidance around the body, notably with a 30% reduction in air displaced by the wheels.

What about prices? First, you need to understand Tesla’s commercial behavior: streamlining the catalog allows for massive economies of scale. The American manufacturer deliberately offers configurations, colors, interiors… and wheels. Therefore, if you do not opt for the in-house options, they are expensive. Very expensive. For a Model 3, upgrading to 19 inches costs an additional 1,190 euros. The “sting” reaches 5,900 euros for 22-inch wheels on a Model Y, already sold for over 120,000 euros. In short, personalization hampers Tesla’s industrial model and makes this very clear.

Consequently, since winter tire setups are becoming increasingly mandatory in France, Mobiwisy suggests the idea of buying your Tesla with the standard rims (with plastic covers) and then reserving them for the winter months. Later, you could invest in a second set of summer wheels, with prices from The New Aero ranging from 2,195 to 5,795 euros (for all four). That’s roughly the same as Tesla’s, but with reduced performance. An irony.

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