Tesla 22" vs 20" wheels question

artc1688_98457490

I have been exploring the options in repairing my mistake of purchasing the 22" Onyx wheels! At $6500, I am losing 10-15% range and the frequency of changing the tire is not acceptable!

Many mentioned it is the weight of the Onyx wheels is causing the extra energy but I just saw the 22" wheels weight is 37.6lbs front, 40.4lbs rear.
The weight of the 20" wheels is 32lbs for the front and 33.2lbs rear!!!

Really? only 5-7 lb differences per wheel will cause such degradation in energy consumption??
20" SCORPION ZERO ALL SEASON Tires are approx 32-33 lb.
22" SCORPION ZERO ALL SEASON PLUS tires are approx 33-36 lb


total weight differences between 20" vs 22" config are only 66lb vs 76lb (rear) 64lb vs 70 lb (front)

TOTAL WEIGHT difference is only 32LB that causes 10-15% degradation in the range does not make sense!!


am I missing something??

JCE

It’s also tire size. Not 100% sure about the X but with the Model 3-there is a significant range hit when you go from the 18 inch wheels to the 20 inch ones.

Bighorn

Google "unsprung weight" as well to further elucidate the situation.

Bighorn

and "rotational inertia"

artc1688_98457490

am I the only one facing such dilemma right before the winter?

Bighorn

Regardless of your appetite for the known poor efficiency of the 22s, going for 20” snow tires is a smart idea for the increased sidewall, as well as more and cheaper options. Just pick up a new wheel set to swap in from Tire Rack or if you have a good local like Les Schwab or Discount/America’s Tire or Costco. I use TireRack and they are well versed in what choices qualify for proper load rating and know which TPMS sender is compatible with the Conti system.

Uncle Paul

It is not just the weight that is causing the reduction in range, but also the lower profile of the 22" wheel increases rolling resistance. You will notice a harsher ride, as the tire is unable to flex as much, going over bumps and divots.

The 22" look much better than the 20" and make room for even larger brakes, but in most all other instances is worse than the 20"

Bighorn

@Paul
Could you explain that bit about low profile impacting rolling resistance? Certainly a stickier summer rubber is going to take an efficiency hit. I don't see much difference between my 19s and 21s on the P85+. The X's 22s were a pretty big outlier when it came to an efficiency penalty.

inconel

My guess is Tesla made the X 22" much sturdier to avoid the bent issues the S 21" is famous for. Much sturdier means much heavier hence the range penalty. IIRC unsprung weight is about equivalent to 4x sprung weight.

Uncle Paul

22" tire/wheel combination is much heavier and has greater wind resistance (CD) than the 21's on your S.

Scoopok

Im getting ready to purchase the Model X in black and so much like the looks of black wheels but they are only available in 22". Thoughts on a solid black 20" rim I might purchase and swap out with factory 20's?

nwfan

@Scoopok, you can have your 20" wheels powder coated after purchase.
I had my Model S - 21" wheels recently powder coated glossy black for $360
in Dallas.

artc1688_98457490

@Scoopok looking back, I should have picked the regular wheels (20") that comes with the car. Spend the $2K for a custom 20" Black wheels that are not staggered and allow me to rotate the tires. You will be much happier than the 22" Onyx wheels from Tesla

rjtan_98565374

I just picked up a brand new raven X with 20s and really wish I went with 22’s as I have such a mild commute and am not driving the car everyday. Oh well, if you’re around the SoCal area maybe we could trade and I’d make it worth your while.

rdmdrd_98096968

I would not get the X without the 22” wheels simply due to the way it looks with them and how it somewhat looks rather boring and unimpressive with the 20” wheels. Ride is defiantly harsher, as would be in any car with the larger rims, but worth the look.

Coldfire73

Apologies in advance for the blatant plug and hijack of the thread, but if you/anyone are interested in a set of Black Onyx 22" Turbine wheels+tyres in the UK, I have a set still for sale on another thread here

GranpaJohn

So while it is true some of us prefer how the 22" looks on our X's I went the other way for mileage benefits. I put a set of 19" on for a few thousand miles and saw a significant (10%) range increase. I've since put the 20" back on for winter driving but will probably go back to 19s in the spring. Handling did not seem different. I normally drive in Chill and Range modes. 'Gas No Mo' is a Nov 2018 MX100D and just downloaded 2019.40.1.1. Have 29,000 miles since Dec 8, 2018 delivery.

artc1688_98457490

GrandpaJohn, what is the range comparison between 19" vs 20" ?

skip reynolds

Where can I get replacement 20" tires for my X locally?
?

artc1688_98457490

Skip where are you located? many tire stores offer various options for your Tesla

skip reynolds

Where can I get replacement 20" tires for my X locally? I live in Springfield, mo.
?

artc1688_98457490

call your local tire stores,,, Discount Tire, Les, Tire Rack.....etc... make sure they have experience working on Tesla MX

aplastino_98676801

Can anyone comment on the integrity of the 22" onyx black wheels as it relates to blow outs? I'm about to order my first model x, and while I love the look I'm concerned about blow outs. Thank you

TeslaTap.com

@aplastino - The 22" do look good, but any tire with a small sidewall has a higher risk of blowouts no matter the vehicle brand or model. If your area has no big potholes and no debris on the roads, the 22" should be fine. If you're on the other end of the spectrum with large potholes and/or lots of road debris, you should consider the 20" tires.

rakhesh

> @nwfan said:
> @Scoopok, you can have your 20" wheels powder coated after purchase.
> I had my Model S - 21" wheels recently powder coated glossy black for $360
> in Dallas.

Can you please share the details of the shop? I would love to do the same for my Model X.