I really hope Model 3 doesn't have rear wheel covers....

[Mad Hungarian]

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These are most definitely owner installed, as a guy who maintains the OEM data for a wheel manufacturer I can confirm that neither the Leaf nor the Prius ever came with steel wheels from the factory. The reason is they're range-killers, in the city cycle the wheel's mass has far more effect on energy consumption than the aero component.

 

[Bangor Bob]

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In parts of the country that get snow, we call those "winter steelies". Note the NY plate and the meaty tread on the Prius's tires. It saves destroying the nice alloys with the sand and hyper-corrosive supermelt brines they put on the roads in winter.

 

[stopcrazypp]

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As I noted, the Leaf S did come with steel wheels starting in 2013 model year, but the Prius didn't (at least for US market). Those are likely winter wheels as Bob puts it. If you try looking for pictures of the Prius with factory hubcaps on you won't find any (for US market, I think European market might have had them).

You can also go to the Prius configurator:
http://www.toyota.com/prius/
Or to Edmunds to look up the wheels:
http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/prius/

 

[aronth5]

So the point still remains is would anyone want good looking wheel covers if range was improved by lets say 10 miles?

 

[Mad Hungarian]

So the point still remains is would anyone want good looking wheel covers if range was improved by lets say 10 miles?

Aero covers on alloy (preferably flow-formed for weight savings at marginal cost increase) would be ideal as that improves range in both city and highway conditions.
Aero covers on steel would sacrifice city range to improve highway range, not ideal.

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As I noted, the Leaf S did come with steel wheels starting in 2013 model year

I stand humbly corrected, Nissan Canada confirms we now have steel on the base S version here as well. I'll have to ask them how many were delivered as I've only ever seen alloy in inventory or on the street.

 

[JRP3]

So the point still remains is would anyone want good looking wheel covers if range was improved by lets say 10 miles?

Sure. But I'd also like some rear wheel covers for another 10-20 miles.

 

[Juanmax]

You can have a "max aero" button package.

Want!

 

[DrGuest]

Someone will need to pay more than $300k to own this. I could see something like this some day, or some iteration there of.

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/evx-ventures-immortus-solar-sports-car

 

[FlatSix911]

I spotted the new Model 3 prototype at the Petersen automotive museum this weekend in LA ...

 

[1208]

Seeing as there will be only 1 rear wheel it will be in the middle of the car so will be covered anyway.

The name model 3 gives it away.. 3 wheeler.

 

[AudubonB]

Re FlatSix's photos of the EV1 - I see that GM donated the car to the Petersen museum. I wonder if one condition of that donation was that the museum word the sign the way they did

...all but 40 were dismantled

rather than saying

...were crushed

Or perhaps the museum did that in anticipation of future GM's donations?

 

[ChadS]

While the conditions for donating an EV-1 did include terms that said that the recipient could never make the car move again under its own power (a condition that Western Washington University tested in 2007 by putting S-10 gear into an EV-1; GM did indeed send a letter saying they intended to enforce the conditions); I don't recall it saying anything about the wording on the signs.

Incidentally, I believe the EV-1, like most of the other EVs of the day (which is still going on, in 2015 Toyota - contrary to an old agreement with Plug In America - recalled at least one old RAV4-EV from lease; and they confirmed that they still crush them, although of course they save some parts like batteries first) were dismantled, and then the bodies were crushed. So dismantled is at least correct, if incomplete.

I used to have a Honda Insight with rear wheel covers. They were OK. I like some of the ones from old 30's cars better.

 

[dhanson865]

Seeing as there will be only 1 rear wheel it will be in the middle of the car so will be covered anyway.

The name model 3 gives it away.. 3 wheeler.

Dream on, Tesla won't do a 3 wheel drive train on Model 3 with dual motors.

It'll be 4 wheels with a choice between two or one motor.

 

[tga]

Seeing as there will be only 1 rear wheel it will be in the middle of the car so will be covered anyway.

The name model 3 gives it away.. 3 wheeler.

Most, if not all, US states classify a 3 wheel vehicle as a motorcycle, and require the driver to have a motorcycle license.

Tesla won't produce a vehicle that requires buyers to go out and get a motorcycle license.

 

[Twiglett]

Most, if not all, US states classify a 3 wheel vehicle as a motorcycle, and require the driver to have a motorcycle license.

Tesla won't produce a vehicle that requires buyers to go out and get a motorcycle license.

Except Elio have already gone and convinced lots of lawmakers that its OK for Elio to sell direct because they are selling AutoCycles not cars.
AutoCycles can be driven on car licenses

 

[Bangor Bob]

If it's going to be a three-wheeler, it better be a reborn Aptera with the originally planned 0.11Cd.

It's not going to be a three-wheeler.

 

[tga]

Except Elio have already gone and convinced lots of lawmakers that its OK for Elio to sell direct because they are selling AutoCycles not cars.
AutoCycles can be driven on car licenses

So they did. Learn something new every day!

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It's not going to be a three-wheeler.

For the record, I agree.

 

[malcolm]

Someone will need to pay more than $300k to own this. I could see something like this some day, or some iteration there of.

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/evx-ventures-immortus-solar-sports-car

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Interesting idea.

An alternative one (although harder to keep clean/scratch free) would be transparent (polycarbonate?) panels over the wheel arches. Smoother air flow, but rear wheels still visible.

 

[JRP3]

Not for long.

 

[Caligula]

Interesting idea.

An alternative one (although harder to keep clean/scratch free) would be transparent (polycarbonate?) panels over the wheel arches. Smoother air flow, but rear wheels still visible.

Nonono... needs to be transparent aluminum.