20-inch wheels could reduce the range by about 36 kilometres, or 20 miles on the Tesla Model Y
Several factors impact the range of an electric vehicle, including the outside temperature, the use of vehicle functions and aerodynamics. Even the size of the wheels can impact the range offered by an electrified vehicle.
Tesla Canuck, a Tesla owner and YouTube influencer recently posted a video detailing the impact of 20-inch wheels on the range of the Tesla Model Y and the results are noteworthy.
We invite you to take a look at the rather short video.
The evaluations were carried out on two Tesla Model Y models, the first with the entry-level 19-inch Gemini rims and the second with 20-inch Induction Wheels. The model evaluated was a Tesla Model Y Long Range with an advertised range of 525 kilometers, or 360 miles. Tesla gives the impact of the wheels on the range of the Model X, but not the Model Y.
Data was recorded using the TezLab app to track the impact of the whees on battery life in real time.
The tests were carried out on an identical circuit under identical conditions and at constant speed.
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According to the results, the 20-inch rims cut the Tesla Model Y’s range by about 7%, which is about 36 kilometers (22 miles) less, or 489 kilometers (303 miles).
So, it seems that the Tesla Model Y with 20-inch wheels loses more of its original range than the long-range Model X. The latter loses about 16 kilometers (10 miles) when switching from 20-inch rims to 22-inch rims.