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Great tires for Tesla Y

 

 

I have a 2021 Model Y Long Range (here is my mini review of it and our 2021 Nissan Leaf) with 20" wheels. After 26,000 miles on my original Goodyear F1 tires, it was time to replace them. 

TLDR: The Pirelli P zero ELECT tires dramatically improved the ride quality and road noise, while maintaining efficiency. If I had spent several grand for a suspension upgrade, I would not expect to see this kind of a ride quality improvement. In summary, compared to the stock tires:

  • Ride quality is much better
  • Road noise is reduced by 20%
  • Efficiency is equal to the OEMs
  • Handling is not quite as good (the car leans a bit more in the corners)
  • The traction is not as good, but still very good

I considered these:

  • Goodyear F1 (amazing traction in all conditions, including snow and ice)
  • Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus Elect (specifically made for EVs and have foam inserts)
  • KumhoSolus Majesty 9 TA91 (super cheap)
  • Michelin Primacy MXM4
  • Michelin CrossClimate2
  • Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
  • Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS, in a larger size: 275/40ZR-20 (these are wider and protect the rim; they are also bigger)
  • Hancook iON evo AS SUV (they have a sound absorber, just like the originals)

I decided to go with the Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus ELECT. A summary after 8,000 + miles of driving with the Pirellis: 

  • They are significantly quieter than my previous tires (see the test below).
  • They absorb bumps much better. I no longer avoid bumps like I used to. It's as if I got an improved suspension.
  • They have very good traction, though not as good as the F1s.
  • They average 284 Wh/mile, vs 294 Wh/mile for the F1s.

 The noise test. I did a noise test and compared my old Goodyears to the new Pirellis. I drove:

  • the exact same section of the road, about 6 miles long. The road is all concrete, so it's quite rough and loud.
  • in the same weather (dry and temp in the 50s)
  • on autopilot in the same lane, so the surface conditions were identical, even within that lane
  • with the exact same tire pressure (42 psi cold)
  • 64 mph the entire time
  • only ~3 weeks apart

As you can see below (look at LAeq), the Pirellis (on the right) are 2.6 decibels quieter than the Goodyears (on the left). This translates to about 50% reduction in sound energy, or ~20% reduction in loudness (what we perceive).



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