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Winter wheels/tires packages for Model S

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At my test drive this weekend in Toronto I was told that Tesla will soon officially announce their winter wheels/tires packages for Model S.

Prelim info is they will offer 2 options, both on the 19" rims currently being offered with all-season tires (I'm assuming 245/45/19):

- Option 1: non-studded Pirelli winter tires (no info yet on which ones), set of 4 for $2400
- Option 2: studded Nokian winter tires (no info on which one but I'm assuming Hakkapeliitta 7), set of 4 for $2800

No word yet on the availability/pricing of purchasing just the extra set of 19" rims.

For general reference, price on TireRack.com for Pirelli Winter Sottozero Serie II (Performance Winter/Snow) are $271 each ($1084 for a set of 4); price on Tiresbyweb.com for Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 (studded) are $339 each ($1356 for a set of 4).

I've never had to switch between summer and winter tires (I've used all-seasons on my previous and current rides), but since I'm going with the 21" performance tires, being in NE Ohio, I'll need to switch to either all-season or winter tires from November to March. So pending availability/pricing on the extra set of rims, I'll most likely be purchasing from Tesla Option 1 mentioned above.

Thoughts on pricing, choice of tires by TM?
 
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Doug is correct, that's actually a reasonable price. The only question I have is "Do the Nokians have to come with studs?". Obviously they have stud holes in them but the actual studs should be optional. Studs are generally a bad idea because of the increased rate lung cancer in areas where studs are frequently used (that's actually why studless tires were developed).

I'm not a fan of Pirelli tires, so that wouldn't be an option for me.
 
Doug is correct, that's actually a reasonable price. The only question I have is "Do the Nokians have to come with studs?". Obviously they have stud holes in them but the actual studs should be optional. Studs are generally a bad idea because of the increased rate lung cancer in areas where studs are frequently used (that's actually why studless tires were developed).

I'm not a fan of Pirelli tires, so that wouldn't be an option for me.

Agree with both you and Doug, pricing seems reasonable.
My understanding is that the Nokians they'll offer are the studded version and that if you want no studs the option they'll offer is the Pirellis.
We'll have to wait for the official announcement for conclusive info on this. If they choose to offer non-studded Nokians would you opt for those?
 
Wonder why they didn't go with the non-studded Nokian's since people seem to love them as well. It looks like studded tires are legal in Indiana from Oct. 1st - May 1st (parent's live there so I'm researching winter tires for them). Would people still recommend the studded Nokian's for mild Indiana winters?
 
We'll have to wait for the official announcement for conclusive info on this. If they choose to offer non-studded Nokians would you opt for those?

Without a second thought. I've had really good luck with Nokians and in any place where I have lived with a real winter, I always purchased a second set of wheels and installed real snow tires. Also, all my ice racing buddies used Nokians unless they could get real (meaning non-street legal) ice racing tires from Michelin or Yokohama.

Note that right now I'm in Texas so snow tires (and the associated wheels) of any kind aren't high on the list, but I lived in Canada for over 25 years before coming to Texas so I know a bit about winter driving and about snow tires.
 
Wonder why they didn't go with the non-studded Nokian's since people seem to love them as well.

No idea. The Hakkapeliitta R come in 245/45R19 101R so size availability isn't a problem.

It looks like studded tires are legal in Indiana from Oct. 1st - May 1st (parent's live there so I'm researching winter tires for them). Would people still recommend the studded Nokian's for mild Indiana winters?

I don't recommend studs except for ice racing when you're only on ice and snow covered surfaces. Studs traditionally help people with very poor winter driving skills because when they spin the tires the tires melt a bit of the ice creating a film of water over the ice. The studs cut through the film of water providing some traction. However, with traction control preventing wheel spin, studs are much less helpful because the wheels don't spin.

1. Studs hold some of the rubber off the pavement so stopping distances are longer.

2. Studs chip the road surface causing small particles to become airborne. These particles are very bad for the lungs.

3. Studs are very damaging to the road surface increasing road maintenance costs. Studded tires are the only area where cars and light trucks cause any pavement damage.

4. Good studless snow tires work as well as or better than studded tires in most winter conditions.
 
Thanks. I didn't think studded tires were worth it but wanted to double check. Would you recommend the Hakkapeliitta Rs you linked then if we can buy the rims without the Pirelli tires?
 
Thanks. I didn't think studded tires were worth it but wanted to double check. Would you recommend the Hakkapeliitta Rs you linked then if we can buy the rims without the Pirelli tires?

Yes. They would be a fine tire for the Model S for winter use.

(Disclaimer: I don't currently work for any tire manufacturer and have never worked for Nokian)
 
Got an email today from Tesla listing new tire and wheel packages for purchase. Here's a quote:

Tesla Motors has released new information on wheel/tire pricing. If you have not seen it already, here it is:

19” Winter Wheel/Tire Package with Pirelli Winter Tires
o $2400

19” Winter Studded Wheel/Tire Package with Nokian studded winter tires
o $2800

19” Wheel Package -- set of 4 19” wheels
o $1000

19 “ Wheel (single)
o $275

21” Wheel/Tire Package -- set of 4 21” Silver Wheels with Performance Tires
o $5,200

21” Wheel (single)
o $950

End quote.

The items which do not say "tires" are for rims only. Sorry about the awkward formatting, but that is pretty much the way it came.
 
I wonder if they will/can tune the traction control to the specific tires they offer? I am not sure this is even possible. So go ahead and correct me if the question is total BS. Would be cool if we optimize suspension and traction control for tire choice. FYI nothing other than chains beats studs on steep up hill ice. If you have that kind of driveway, you know what I am talking about. Ever done a 180 with a trailer trying to get to your house before? That said studded will be overkill for most.
 
I wonder if they will/can tune the traction control to the specific tires they offer? I am not sure this is even possible. So go ahead and correct me if the question is total BS. Would be cool if we optimize suspension and traction control for tire choice. FYI nothing other than chains beats studs on steep up hill ice. If you have that kind of driveway, you know what I am talking about. Ever done a 180 with a trailer trying to get to your house before? That said studded will be overkill for most.

GOOD studded snow tires like the Nokian's will beat cheap chains all the time. I used to ski race and coach up on Mt Hood, OR and I have seen too many cars with the ladder and cable chains slide sideways on Timberline road. The diamond, link and zig-zag styles of tire chains work great but if I'm spending 90+ days on the mountain, give me studs and their convenience.
 
I wonder if they will/can tune the traction control to the specific tires they offer?

Traction control is based on sensing wheel slippage. It should be "self-tuning" as far as different tires are concerned.

FYI nothing other than chains beats studs on steep up hill ice.

Chains are designed to be used with summer tires. To be effective they need to "creep" around the tire. The lugs in snow tires stop the creeping and chains lose their effectiveness.
 
Traction control is based on sensing wheel slippage. It should be "self-tuning" as far as different tires are concerned.

Should be, although there might be some subtleties; for example, the Roadster 2.0/2.5 has a "new tires" function on the VDS. The purposes of it is to learn the diameter of the new tires, which helps the traction control function properly. It must also have some sort of long-term adaptive algorithm to account for tire wear.
 
+1 to all of Jerry's points about studded tires.

I have studless snow tires for the winter ( Bridgestone Blizzaks, Nokians were not in stock last time I needed a new set ). If you end up driving some of the time on wet road and some on snow and ice - the studded tires will be great on the ice but far more likely to get you killed on the wet roads where the studs are a huge liability.
 
Interestingly they have omitted pricing for the 19" wheels with the standard all season tires that normally come with the car.
I'm getting 21" performance wheels. Our winters here aren't usually too bad so I should be ok with 19" and all season tires for my second winter set.
 
Interestingly they have omitted pricing for the 19" wheels with the standard all season tires that normally come with the car.
I'm getting 21" performance wheels. Our winters here aren't usually too bad so I should be ok with 19" and all season tires for my second winter set.

I noticed that too.
Knowing that they are charging $3500 for the upgrade from 19" all-seasons to 21" performance and that the 21" performance extra set is $5200, that would put the 19" all-season set at ~$1700 (not bad at all if they DO offer it).