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Want 10% More Range on Your Tesla Model 3? Get The Aero Wheels

The first time I've seen a covered wheel design in recent years was on the largely unsuccessful Honda Civic sedan hybrid, and it was a quick way to identify the vehicle's powertrain without having to look for the badge.
Tesla Model 3 1 photo
Photo: Tesla Inc.
The reason why regular cars don't bother with this kind of wheels is that, in their case, the benefits definitely don't outweigh the downsides. Actually, make that the 'downside,' since the only real problem with them is that people generally consider them less appealing.

What they do bring, though, is better aerodynamics - but not the kind that makes the car stick to the road better, which is why you won't see them on performance vehicles either. No, what they do is improve the airflow and reduce drag, resulting in increased efficiency and lower fuel consumption.

Since maximum range and cost are two criteria that matter the most for electric vehicles these days, it makes perfect sense for any EV manufacturer to consider offering a wheel design that enables their cars to travel longer distances on a single charge.

After trying and failing on the Model S, Tesla has now brought back the aero wheel on the Model 3, but this time it has learned its lesson. Not only is the new design much more appealing (despite being just 18 inches in size), but it also leaves the owner the possibility of removing five caps on each wheel to reveal a classic and pretty sexy ten-spoke design.

But the best part about them - apart from being the stock, no cost option for any Model 3 - is that they improve the vehicle's maximum range by as much as 10 percent. Well, at least that's what TMC member 355rockit claims he was told by an unidentified Tesla Inc. VP of Engineering.

"He said that he went with Aero since he wants more mileage and said the gain is ~10%." If that's the case, then choosing any other option shows the kind of vanity and indulgence Tesla drivers - or any other EV drivers - should not make themselves guilty of. If driving an electric vehicle is indeed the way to save the planet, then speccing the car to be as efficient as possible should be the only way to go.

So far, the aero wheels have been an extremely rare sight on the production Model 3s we've seen, meaning most people valued aesthetics over aerodynamics. Who knows, maybe learning they can reduce the number of stops on a road trip just by not spending more money on different, larger wheels might convince some to stick with the covered design.
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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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