Dear Tesla Driver,

if you are looking for wheels for your Tesla and want to inform yourself about the right rims, tires + sensors beforehand, then you are exactly right in this blog post.

From over one hundred complete wheel sales, we have received a lot of customer inquiries over time. Since we haven't found a guide on the internet for buying rims and wheels specifically for Tesla vehicles, we want to share the answers to most questions with you here.

HOW ARE THE WHEELS ON THE TESLA MODEL 3 CHANGED?

Changing wheels on the Model 3 works almost like any other vehicle. However, there are a few special things to consider with the Tesla Model 3:

• Tesla specifies a rather high torque of 175NM for the original wheel nuts. Please make sure that your torque wrench can reach this torque.
• Be careful when lifting! Never lift on the battery. The Model 3 has 4 jacking points on the underside. The car may only be lifted there. There are special jack pads that slide into the receptacles and thus ensure that the car is always lifted correctly.
• For directional tires or rims (available for the Model 3 - very unusual for other vehicles), the orientation (stated on the tire sidewall) must be observed.

DO THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS WORK AFTER A WHEEL CHANGE?

All Tesla Model 3 from 2021 onwards are equipped with BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) sensors in the wheels. These report the tire pressure to the vehicle every few minutes. The Model 3 has a receiver unit that receives the signals from the sensors. This is located in the rear of the vehicle. The unit uses the signal strength to determine the distance to the respective sensor and can thus assign the sensors to the individual wheels.

For models before 2021, the exact production date matters. The easiest way to check this is with the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) from the vehicle registration document. Tesla has installed BLE sensors in all vehicles from the letter M as the 10th digit in the VIN. Previously, 433MHZ TPMS radio sensors were installed. The installed TPMS sensors are pre-programmed so that they should automatically connect to the vehicle even after a wheel change.

After a wheel change, the sensors automatically send their signal to the receiver unit and are (as long as all sensors are intact) detected within a few minutes. Learning the sensors is no longer necessary. No additional device is needed for connection either. You will then see the result a few minutes after the wheel change in the main menu => Software, and it should look like this:

 

HOW DO I RECOGNIZE SUITABLE RIMS FOR MY TESLA MODEL 3?

The rims in electric vehicles fulfill the same function as in internal combustion engines. However, electric vehicles usually have more power than internal combustion engines, but a shorter range, which results in slightly changed requirements for the rims.

1. RIM APPROVAL FOR YOUR TESLA:

If you want to drive the rims on the road, they must of course be approved. Any rim can in principle be registered via an individual inspection at TÜV. However, this is time-consuming and costly. We clearly recommend buying rims with ABE or ECE approval. These can simply be bolted to the Tesla without inspection and you can drive off immediately.

• ABE approval: Here, an expert opinion is issued for the vehicle and the rim in combination, stating that this rim is approved for this vehicle. This document should be carried in the glove compartment.
• ECE approval: With ECE approval, only the rim is tested and an E-number is applied to the rim. This rim size must match a permitted standard size (from the COC paper). In contrast to ABE, ECE is valid throughout Europe. Tesla drivers from Austria or Switzerland in particular should pay attention to ECE approval.

Our recommendation:

A good rim dealer will do the work for you and tell you which rims fit your car. For example, you can simply select your model here and you will only be shown rims that you can drive in Germany without approval. You can download the corresponding expert opinion directly from the product page of the rims.

2. RIM AERODYNAMICS

Especially on highway drives, air resistance plays an important role in consumption. Part of the air resistance is caused by air turbulence at the rims. This can be influenced by the choice of rims, but the achievable range changes are in the lower single-digit range.

Generally, closed rims are more aerodynamic than open rim designs and thus somewhat more economical. This is also the reason why Tesla mounts wheel covers on aluminum rims on SR+ and Long Range models.

Since the rims on the left side are flowed around differently than on the right side, a further reduction in air resistance can be achieved by using directional rims. With this type, there are two rims for the left side and two for the right side, and these must not be interchanged. The only directional rims known to us for the Model 3 are the New Aero rims.

In our shop, you can specifically filter for particularly aerodynamic rims that can improve the range of your Tesla.

3. SENSITIVITY TO CURB DAMAGE

The standard rims installed by Tesla are very wide (in relation to the tire width used), so that protruding rims (especially on the performance models) can quickly lead to curb damage. Accessory rims usually do not protrude beyond the tires. Some rims can also be used with different tire sizes. Often, 5 or 10 mm wider tires are worthwhile here, as they then protrude beyond the rim and protect it from curb damage.

4. WEIGHT

A low rim weight is often a selection criterion for sporty Tesla drivers. In fact, the rims belong to the unsprung and moving masses on the car, so a weight reduction in the rims results in a slightly improved acceleration and increased agility. These changes are so small that they are not noticeable or significantly measurable in everyday life.

When driving at a constant speed on the highway or country road, the rim weight therefore plays almost no role. Here, aerodynamics are more important. If you primarily use the Tesla in everyday life and don't want to go to the race track with it, you should not attach much importance to the rim weight.

5. DESIGN

In the end, the choice of rims is always about taste and appearance. The prices also vary greatly depending on the rim design.

Even slight technical advantages (see above) are useless if you are not satisfied with the appearance of the rims. For us, this is clearly the most important point: You must like the rims!

  

THE MOST POPULAR AFTERMARKET RIMS FOR THE TESLA MODEL 3

 

SHOULD I RATHER BUY THE ORIGINAL WHEELS FROM TESLA?

Every Tesla is delivered on summer tires. Optionally, you can also order winter tires. These wheels are of good quality and equipped with solid tires. However, Tesla's wheels are significantly more expensive than accessory wheels, and there is no choice in design or tires. Therefore, most Tesla customers ultimately choose aftermarket wheels.

As long as the wheels are approved for the Tesla, there will be no restriction of the warranty by Tesla.

 

FINDING THE RIGHT TIRES FOR YOUR TESLA MODEL 3

As with all other vehicles, summer, winter, and all-season tires are also offered for the Model 3. However, in the maximum permissible size of 20 inches, all-season tires for the Model 3 are only offered by a few manufacturers.

Whether all-season tires up to 20 inches make sense depends on your place of residence, the frequency of snow, and your driving profile. We would be happy to advise you individually on this.

To make tires more comparable, all tires have had to undergo standardized tests since 2012 and are compared in the following disciplines:

• Fuel efficiency
• Wet grip
• External noise level

Since range is an important issue for most Tesla drivers, we recommend tires with good fuel efficiency and thus low rolling resistance.

Those who bought a Tesla to enjoy the "quiet gliding" over the road should pay attention to the rolling noise of the tire.

Many manufacturers also offer special tires for electric cars. These tires differ from regular tires particularly in their optimization for fuel efficiency and noise level, thus reflecting the preferences of many electric vehicle drivers.

Caution when comparing cheap and expensive tires:

Although the tests are standardized, they are carried out by the tire manufacturers themselves. Therefore, a healthy skepticism towards the stated comparative values is appropriate for unknown manufacturers. Between premium manufacturers, the data can be compared without problems.

 

WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN ORDERING COMPLETE WHEELS?

Complete wheels are fully assembled wheels consisting of rims, tires, and tire pressure sensors. If you can change the wheels yourself, complete wheels are the very first choice, as you can order them directly to your home and mount them there immediately.

When ordering, be sure to choose the correct sensors (from 2021 BLE, before often 433MHZ TPMS, see note above). Some configurators on the Internet are outdated and do not have correct information about the installed sensors. If the wrong sensors are installed, you will permanently receive an error message on the center screen and the tire pressure cannot be measured. The vehicle may not be operated with wrong sensors, and the operating permit will expire.

For some rims, additional fastening material is necessary (e.g. longer wheel nuts or a centering ring for insertion into the rim). We recommend that you check with the dealer beforehand whether the additional material is supplied, just to be safe.

Furthermore, you should check whether the dealer has experience in shipping complete wheels. Otherwise, the rims may be damaged due to insufficient packaging.

 

 

If you follow all these tips, you are guaranteed to enjoy your new wheels for your Model 3!

If you have any further questions about rims and wheels for your Tesla Model 3, please feel free to send us an email at support@Tesvolution.com or call us at 0341/91068679.

The Tesvolution team wishes you a safe journey at all times and sends electric greetings from Leipzig!

 

Your Tesvolution Team