Photo: Taylar Roids via Reddit
Most people buy a Tesla Model 3 Performance for its sporty characteristics, but that is not always a given. An adventurous owner wanted to also be able to reach his favorite camping sites with the car, so he modified it to suit his tastes. This included a suspension lift, trail tires, and other small modifications required to fit the bigger wheels.
Many people still believe electric vehicles are for joyrides around town, but others constantly push the boundaries of what’s possible with an EV. This includes taking cross-country trips or even going off-road. The biggest drawback in both cases is the limited range and availability of public charging infrastructure in remote areas. Off-roading puts a heavier strain on the battery and the car itself, not to mention that EVs have a low ground clearance for efficiency reasons.
A Tesla Model 3 Performance owner ignored all these and decided to modify his EV to also be able to reach remote camping sites. The alternative would’ve been buying a used SUV for the purpose, but he decided against that. Taylar Roids analyzed his options and decided to offer his EV some soft-roading capabilities. His bill of materials was estimated at only $2,664, considering that he did the modifications himself.
The most important modification was a $500 Mountain Pass Performance lift kit, but that was far from being the most expensive. The 235/55 R18 BFGoodrich Trail Terrain tires cost $1,000, and Taylar added $400 for a set of 18-inch Tesla wheels from Craigslist. He also installed replacement skid plates front and rear, which cost him $350, and he insisted on spending $200 for a set of wheel covers that looked like the original rims. The rest are mostly things you can do without if you’re interested in doing a similar modification.
Of course, Taylar could’ve opted for a Model Y, which has higher ground clearance, to begin with, but that would’ve been more expensive. The Tesla M3P has the clear advantage of already being in his garage, not to mention the Track Mode that Taylar says is super fun off-road. The modification offered a ground clearance of around 8 inches (20 cm), which is more than most crossovers provide these days. It wasn’t without issues, though.
According to his post on Reddit, there is a slight tire rub on the wheel well plastic trim under certain conditions, like hard braking/suspension articulation, plus maximum steering angle. He had to compromise on this because smaller wheel spacers would’ve caused the brake rotors to touch the rear calipers. Likewise, bigger spacers caused even more tire rub. That’s why he also needed to grind some material from the rear brake calipers. This is only required for M3P because it has bigger brake calipers on the rear axle.
Taylar described his work in detail while also providing information about how these modifications affect efficiency. Although his post is still fresh, people have already chimed in to say they wanted to make similar changes to their EVs. What do you think? Is it worth modifying a Tesla to tackle rough terrain, or is it better to buy a cheap SUV for the task? Tell us in the comment section below.
A Tesla Model 3 Performance owner ignored all these and decided to modify his EV to also be able to reach remote camping sites. The alternative would’ve been buying a used SUV for the purpose, but he decided against that. Taylar Roids analyzed his options and decided to offer his EV some soft-roading capabilities. His bill of materials was estimated at only $2,664, considering that he did the modifications himself.
The most important modification was a $500 Mountain Pass Performance lift kit, but that was far from being the most expensive. The 235/55 R18 BFGoodrich Trail Terrain tires cost $1,000, and Taylar added $400 for a set of 18-inch Tesla wheels from Craigslist. He also installed replacement skid plates front and rear, which cost him $350, and he insisted on spending $200 for a set of wheel covers that looked like the original rims. The rest are mostly things you can do without if you’re interested in doing a similar modification.
Of course, Taylar could’ve opted for a Model Y, which has higher ground clearance, to begin with, but that would’ve been more expensive. The Tesla M3P has the clear advantage of already being in his garage, not to mention the Track Mode that Taylar says is super fun off-road. The modification offered a ground clearance of around 8 inches (20 cm), which is more than most crossovers provide these days. It wasn’t without issues, though.
According to his post on Reddit, there is a slight tire rub on the wheel well plastic trim under certain conditions, like hard braking/suspension articulation, plus maximum steering angle. He had to compromise on this because smaller wheel spacers would’ve caused the brake rotors to touch the rear calipers. Likewise, bigger spacers caused even more tire rub. That’s why he also needed to grind some material from the rear brake calipers. This is only required for M3P because it has bigger brake calipers on the rear axle.
Taylar described his work in detail while also providing information about how these modifications affect efficiency. Although his post is still fresh, people have already chimed in to say they wanted to make similar changes to their EVs. What do you think? Is it worth modifying a Tesla to tackle rough terrain, or is it better to buy a cheap SUV for the task? Tell us in the comment section below.
Google News