Teslas Don't Come With A Spare Tire - Why?
Tesla has a logic explanation for not including a vehicle staple in their models, and surprisingly, drivers don't seem to mind the lack of spare tire.
Tesla has recently become the world's most popular automaker, thanks to the fact that the company builds some of the most reliable electric cars currently available on the auto-markets. The American EV automaker even has many more models in the works. One common feature for all of Tesla's vehicles is that they have a lot of innovative, advanced, and even groundbreaking features, such as Sentry Mode. Teslas don't have some of the traditional features regular vehicles do. One of those features being the spare tire. Teslas don't have a spare tire, a feature that has been standard on cars for many decades. There are a few reasons behind Tesla's decision to leave out the spare tire, such as practicality, weight, lack of use, free roadside assistance, and inefficient labor.
Tesla has a solid rationale behind its decision to not include a vehicle spare tire in any of its models, and drivers really don't seem to mind the lack of a spare tire, nor do they seem to need it should they find themselves with a flat tire. Tesla's decision has even proved so practical and successful that other car manufacturers now seem to jump on the bandwagon.
Spare Tires Are Rarely Used Anymore
These days, spare tires are not used as much as they once were. This is also the very reason many automakers chose to follow Tesla's lead. When a vehicle's life cycle has concluded, approximately 85% of the time, the spare tire and the included tools accompany the vehicle to the junkyard without ever having been used.
To Tesla, it didn't make sense to include a spare tire for only 15% of its drivers. Tesla thought this was an unworthy investment. So, in place of a spare tire, there's something called TPMS on most modern vehicles that inform drivers when tire pressure is low, giving them enough time to drive to a tire repair shop, decreasing the risk of flat tires. However, many drivers are not too pleased with driver-assist programs such as TPMS.
However, Tesla actually equips its vehicles' tires with noise-reducing, sound-dampening foam that's permanently adhered to the inside of the tread surface. This helps reduce cavity resonance and road noise, but as a downside, smaller tire shops lack the proper training and supplies to adequately patch or repair Tesla tires. Keep in mind up to 20% of the raw material and labor costs for tires are being invested in spare tires, making the process quite costly. On top of that, spare tires take up space that could be used for more cabin or engine space. After all, part of the Tesla Model 3's appeal is its efficient use of cargo space. Finally, the sheer weight of the spare tire will weigh the car down, and without one, a vehicle will gain a tiny performance advantage as well as improved range.
Tesla tires are also quite costly to repair, starting at $230. Part of this is due to the aforementioned foam in the tires, which incidentally deters the smaller tire shops from doing the repairs. Most Costco warehouses will take on the job of repairing Tesla tires, but it costs $230 each, with a $70 discount if all four tires are purchased.
However, there is an additional labor charge of $20 per tire. Another alternative is Tesla's mobile service, which also charges $230 per tire, but they will take $55 for labor, and that's per tire. Tesla's mobile service also is more likely to fix the tire on the spot and have it repaired with less of a delay, though they lack the equipment for alignment, so they only do balancing.
There are horror stories out there regarding the sometimes extreme costs of Tesla wheel and tire repair. One guy hit a pothole in his Tesla Model 3 Performance, and he had to pay $2,668.26 in repairs.
Spare Tire Kits Available For Exorbitant Prices
If drivers would rather have a spare tire kit, then one is available. It just comes at a really exorbitant price. The Tesla Store has a tire repair and inflator kit designed for temporary tire repairs on the road, but the model S/X/3 Tire Repair Kit costs between $280 and $370. The good news is that this tire repair kit is specifically made for the Tesla Model 3, and it's compatible with each and every one of Tesla's factory wheel size options, even the 31-inch from the model Y. It matches the tire size and factory wheels and is guaranteed to clear the large brakes. The repair kit is designed to take up as little cargo space as possible, coming in a space-saving storage case that's only six inches wide.
The kit also includes a custom low-profile scissor jack that features a ratcheting handle mechanism, giving sufficient leverage at the designated lift points. It's also better than trying to repair the tire with duct tape, which drivers have tried to do.
Sparky Express Can Fix Tesla Punctured Tires By Nails Or Screws
If you are located in our service area and you have a nail or a screw in your Tesla tire, we can fix it for a reasonable price. Learn more about the flat tire service provided by Sparky Express for Tesla drivers.