What effect do the Tesla Model 3's Aero wheels have on its range?

A test carried out in Germany reveals how many additional kilometres are possible thanks to the 18-inch Aero wheels of the Tesla Model 3

We all know that the aerodynamics of a vehicle take on special importance when it is electric. Reducing air resistance when driving means lower energy consumption and, therefore, the same amount of energy stored in the battery. It is possible to go further.

Electric vehicle manufacturers take this into account when developing a new model and They pay special attention to the smallest detailsThis includes, for example, using concealed, non-protruding door handles, replacing rear-view mirrors with cameras where permitted by law, or equipping these vehicles with special rims that improve efficiency.

Surely you have ever wondered if these types of decisions really have a significant real effect or, on the contrary, are nothing more than a way of differentiating yourself from combustion vehicles. Well, a study Made by the German company NextMove has put exact figures on the table, evaluating The impact of the Tesla Model 3's Aero wheels on the vehicle's range.

Greater efficiency but with a controversial design

Since the introduction of the Tesla Model 3 several years ago, the 18-inch Aero wheels that come as standard have generated some controversy. Those who detract from them and those who consider that they do not detract from the overall design of the vehicle are divided equally. One point in favor of these wheels is that the former can always remove the plastic hubcaps and reveal the aluminum wheels they hide. Always keeping in mind that, in this way, energy consumption will increaseBut by how much?

The German company NextMove, dedicated to the rental of electric vehicles in Germany, has set out to find out. To do so, they have used three Tesla Model 3s with 18-inch Aero wheels, with which they have completed 3 laps of a 94 km circuit in the outskirts of the German city of Leipzig. The test was carried out trying to maintain a speed of 150 km, which was possible because there is no speed limit on the famous German autobahn. Two of the vehicles had the Aero wheel hubcaps on, the other one did not.

Confirmed: Aero rims reduce fuel consumption

The final conclusion they obtained from these tests is that, when driving at high speed - 150 km/h in this case - the hubcaps on the Aero rims They allow energy consumption to be reduced by 3 percentThis means that with a fully charged battery it is possible to travel 8 km more if the hubcaps are on.

The difference may not seem like much, but we must not overlook the increase in the price of the vehicle, as well as its weight, that would have been caused by the increase in the number of battery cells needed to gain those same additional 8 km of autonomy. However, with simple plastic hubcaps at a negligible cost, Tesla engineers have achieved the same effect.