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Where Is The Spare Tire In A Tesla?

ByTsukasa Azuma-November 15, 2023

Many Tesla owners were surprised to discover that there was no spare tire in the trunk of  a Tesla they had just purchased. They assumed that they had been “cheated” by the manufacturer. So do Teslas have spare tires? We understand your curiosity about this issue so that’s why we will give you a detailed and well-explained answer in this post: 

Do Teslas Have Spare Tires

What to do if you have a flat tire on your Tesla Model 3 or Y? We’re sure you think it’s easy. You just pull over, get out your spare tire, and change it. Well, it’s not easy like that because the truth is that Teslas don’t have spare tires in any of their cars. Instead, Tesla provides tire repair kits in their vehicles, which typically include several basic tools such as a tire sealant, and an air pump. These aids are designed to temporarily repair minor punctures or leaks in the tires, allowing you to drive to a service center or tire shop for a permanent repair or replacement. So, before you jump to conclusions by saying what kind of car company does that or how lame is Tesla, you should know this knowledge. 

Does tesla model 3 have a spare tire? (Photo: teslamotorsclub.com)

Don’t be surprised to hear that because it’s not just Tesla, in fact, many automakers today are tending to remove the spare tire, or only provide it as an option for customers in need. This makes many customers “shocked” when receiving a new car if they do not find out from the beginning.

>> Related post: Interesting Facts about Tesla Cars – Shared Here!

Why Don’t Teslas Have Spare Tires?

According to a report by AAA (American Automobile Association), nearly 1/3 of new cars from 2017 were not equipped with spare tires including Tesla. More advanced vehicles are equipped with 4 Run-Flat tires that can still run a limited distance after being punctured. Why does Tesla automaker choose not to equip spare tires for their new cars?

  • Space and weight considerations

Electric cars, including Teslas, often prioritize efficiency and maximizing range. The main benefit of equipping your vehicle with a tire repair kit instead of a spare tire is to save nearly 25 pounds in weight and reducing the overall weight of the vehicle increases fuel economy.

Additionally, equipping with a spare tire would require allocating additional space in the car. By removing the spare tire, Tesla can optimize the design and use the available space for other purposes, such as increasing cargo capacity or accommodating the battery pack.

  • Saving fuel consumption 

As we said above reducing the car weight can improve the fuel efficiency of your car. A spare tire weighs about 23 kg and may be heavier for large luxury vehicles. In addition, the tools that come with spare tires such as the chassis lift kit and tire removal tool bag also add more to the overall car weight. If the spare tire is not used, the vehicle will “lose weight” equivalent to a child passenger, thereby saving more fuel. Tire Rack, which tests and sells tires, has found that reducing weight can improve fuel consumption by up to 1%. That’s also attractive to automakers, because fuel economy ratings play an important role in a marketing strategy, as do the brand’s average fuel consumption.

Increasing power and fuel economy is important for any vehicle. Therefore, reducing the weight of the vehicle is the easiest criterion to implement.

  • Reduce manufacturing costs 

The price of a car is important to new car buyers, and eliminating the spare tire can reduce production costs for automakers. If the overall cost decreases, obviously car prices will also be more affordable. Removing the spare tire and accompanying tools and equipment will reduce costs for the manufacturer, thus reducing prices for customers, though the main purpose of some car brands isn’t to focus too much on the production cost, all they want is to provide the best performance for their customers.

Watch more:

What To Do If Your Tesla Has A Flat Tire While Driving? 

Now, you all know about the purpose of Tesla when omitting spare tires so what happens If you have a flat tire while driving on the road? Don’t worry, here are some guides you can follow: 

Using the tire repair kit 

Tesla provides a tire repair kit in their vehicles as an alternative to carrying a spare tire. The tire repair kit typically includes tools like:

  • Bottle of sealant
  • Air compressor
  • Inflation needle
  • Tapered nozzle
  • Tesla storage bag. 
Why don’t Teslas have spare tires (Photo: teslamotorsclub.com)

Firstly, you should find a safe location. If you’re driving when you realize you have a flat tire, safely pull over to the side of the road or into a parking lot. Ensure that you’re away from traffic and on a level surface.

Then gather the necessary tools provided by Tesla. You can use them to fix minor punctures. Follow the instructions provided with the kit to seal the tire. This should allow you to drive to a tire repair shop or service center.

>> Read more: Tire Speed Rating: What You Need to Know

Contact roadside assistance

If you’re unable to fix the flat tire yourself or don’t have a spare tire, contact Tesla’s roadside assistance or a local towing service. Tesla promotes the use of their roadside assistance service. In the event of a tire-related issue, Tesla owners can contact the department for support. This approach eliminates the need for a spare tire and encourages owners to rely on professional assistance.

To wrap up, we want to affirm that Tesla vehicles do not come with spare tires as standard. So you can choose to purchase aftermarket spare tire kits or carry a compact spare tire as a personal preference or for added peace of mind.

Tsukasa Azuma is an awesome car blogger of Car From Japan. He owns a car repair shop at downtown Osaka, and he put all that experience to good use in his sharing posts. Tsukasa’s blog is one of the best resources for information about keeping your favorite imported car running smoothly. Moreover, because of being passionate to learn about the recent happenings in auto industry, he doesn’t only provide great car maintenance tips, he also always updates latest trends in among car brands and share them in his own interesting viewpoint.

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