If you’ve switched from traditional car ownership to electric cars, including Teslas, one of the elements you must consider is what kind of tires you’ll need. Luckily, you have plenty of great options.
The best tires for Tesla vehicles are the Michelin Primacy Tour A/S Tires because they’re suitable for all seasons and weather conditions, quiet, safe, and well-designed.
Here are some more specific scenarios that may require a different tire choice:
If you want tires that go fast, you should purchase Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S Performance Radial tires.
If you want superior tread life, I recommend Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires.
If you want winter tires, the best option is the Dunlop SP Winter Sport tire.
If you want summer tires, I like the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 Ultra-High Summer Performance Tire.
If you want racing tires, I suggest the Pirelli PZero Race Trofeo Performance Radial Tire.
If you want a reliable tire, I recommend the Goodyear Assurance MaxLife tire.
If you’re on a tighter budget but still want a high-quality tire, the Yokohama Advan Sport A/S tire is a good choice.
In this article, I’ll explain why the Michelin Primacy Tour A/S tires are the best for most people and discuss the alternatives you may prefer in other situations. I’ll also take you through the various factors you must consider before purchasing new tires for your Tesla. Let’s get started!
The best choice for Tesla tires is the Michelin Primacy Tour A/S tires because they offer excellent performance in all seasons — no matter the weather, you’ll be able to enjoy a comfortable ride.
Tesla Model 3 vehicles are often considered the best Tesla model, and this model is typically the most popular. The factory tires for these vehicles are the Michelin Primacy MXM4 tires, which are solid, but if you’re looking for a different tire, look no further than upgrading to the Primacy Tour A/S.
As of 2022, Tesla Model 3 comes with Hankook Kinergy GT tires.
The Michelin Primacy Tour A/S is incredibly well-designed. An example of its pristine design is its asymmetric tread, which offers excellent traction and tread life without taking away from the overall comfort of the ride. Additionally, there are outer shoulder blocks that improve stability and handling.
The tires’ wet performance is impressive, especially since it’s not specifically designed for winter. This is thanks to the circumferential grooves in the tires that help get rid of water and improve dry traction on the road, which decreases the risk of hydroplaning.
Another great aspect of these tires is how quiet they are. They are made of pure rubber, which is gentle and reduces road noise for a quieter and smoother ride.
If speed is the priority with your Tesla, then these S tires from Michelin are a great choice. They feature an asymmetrical tread pattern that improves road grip and durability, so you can whip around at high speeds without worrying about completely ruining your tires and tread life. Additionally, they can come to a stop more quickly than other tires because of the hybrid rubber material, even from a short distance.
These tires have a Variable Contact Patch 3.0 feature, which distributes the contact area of the tire and the road more evenly and makes driving smoother, even at high speeds. Another positive aspect is that they absorb road sounds and vibrations effectively, making for a quieter and more enjoyable ride, even if you’re going fast.
These features mean that the tires have great dry performance, but their wet performance isn’t as good. Therefore, I don’t recommend using these tires in wet conditions. Furthermore, you should know that they have abysmal winter performance.
They’re built to reach high speeds in dry and hot conditions, and they struggle even in light snow, so choose accordingly.
The ExtremeContact DWS tires are designed for performance sedans and sports cars, and you can certainly use them for your Tesla, especially if you’re looking for the best tread life on the market.
The tires have a silica-enhanced tread compound with Silane additives, which extends the tread life and improves the wet performance and grip.
Furthermore, the tires have the Continental brand’s unique chamfered edges, which allow for maximum tread in dry conditions. However, if you think that all these features make these tires suitable for the summer only, think again!
The tires have ridges in the bottom of the criss-cross grooves, which improves snow traction too. Therefore, these tires are solid winter tires as well!
The tread features and tread life on these tires are unmatched, but still, they’ll start to wear out eventually, as all tires do. Luckily, Continental designed a way to check your tread quality. On the second rib from the outbound shoulder is a visible molded DWS that acts as an indicator of the tire’s tread health.
If you can read all three letters of the DWS, the tires have suitable tread depth for dry conditions, wet conditions, and snow. If the S is worn away, the tread depth is only suitable for dry conditions or barely wet conditions. If you can only read the D, you should only use the tires in dry conditions, as the tread depth is no longer suitable for anything more challenging or high moisture levels.
Another great attribute of these tires is their braking capability. The macroblocks and chamfered edges help the tires come to a stop even at only a short braking distance. Furthermore, they’re extremely responsive, so as soon as you turn the steering wheel, you’ll notice the tires change direction.
You want a safe and reliable tire at any time of year, but especially during the winter. Winter driving conditions can be extremely treacherous, so you want a tire you can rely on.
There are many reasons why the Dunlop SP Winter Sport is capable of such impressive performance, even in colder weather and snowy conditions. For one, the reactive silica mix tread can expand or contract depending on the temperature, so you won’t ever have to worry about freezing temperatures rendering your tires useless.
Furthermore, the tread design reduces the risk of hydroplaning, and the edges are solid and capable of working through heavy snow to achieve a secure and reliable grip, even in icy and slippery conditions.
The multi-radius tread technology evenly distributes pressure, so you’ll get the maximum grip and handling you can achieve in the winter.
A significant drawback to this tire is its price. Because it has so many advanced features to help you drive safely throughout the winter, it comes at a premium price. Additionally, the tires don’t perform as well in summer conditions and are pretty noisy.
Pros
Extremely safe and high-performing in winter conditions
Some people may not realize that seasonal tires aren’t just for the winter and that some tires perform better in summer conditions than others. One of the best-performing summer tires is the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 because of its advanced handling and braking, even in wet conditions.
Many places experience heavy rains during the summer, but this isn’t an issue with the hydroplaning resistance these tires have. They can also withstand extremely high temperatures.
If you’re a street racer, these are the tires for you! They’re specifically designed to be competition tires, which means that they can reach higher speeds with some stability and solid response from the steering wheel.
Furthermore, the tread design allows you to make sharper turns, so you’ll be able to whip around corners at high speeds without any problem. Racing can cause a lot of damage and strain to a tire, but these tires are durable, so you can continue using them for many years, even if you put them through the wringer.
While the Pirelli PZero Race is best in dry conditions, it has grooves that help flick water away from the tire’s surface to make it safer for use in wet conditions. However, it’s not a good tire for slippery conditions, including ice and snow, so you should avoid using it in winter.
These tires are far from the most expensive racing tires available on the market, but they still aren’t cheap. They’re a significant investment, and you should be prepared for a higher price tag.
Pros
Capable of high speeds
Good tread
Quick response
Solid longevity, especially for a racing tire
Decent performance in wet conditions
Trusted brand with many years of experience
Cons
Not suitable for use in winter or slippery conditions
Expensive
No warranty
Product Specifications
Attribute
Description
Season
All-Season, but only suitable in light snow, not extreme winter conditions
Sometimes you don’t want a fancy tire or one that can go super fast or has lots of bells and whistles; you just want a solid tire that can get you from point A to point B safely, no matter how wet or dry it is. Additionally, these tires are built to last, so you won’t have to fork out the money to replace them too often.
Part of the reason these tires are so reliable is their symmetric tread pattern, including a center rib, which allows for more contact between the tire and the road and enhances safety and stability even at highway speeds. Additionally, the wear gauge feature allows drivers to keep track of how worn their tires are.
They also have great braking, handling, and hydroplaning resistance, so they’re a solid choice for anyone concerned about their safety, especially in wet conditions.
These Yokohama tires aren’t the absolute cheapest tires you can buy for your Tesla, but I think they’re the best tires available at a lower price point than average. One of their best qualities is that they can perform at any temperature due to the silica blend tread compound, which helps provide a strong grip that’s unaffected by a change in temperature.
The tread pattern also has a large outboard shoulder zone, which helps absorb the road noises and makes for a more comfortable and quieter ride, making these tires a great choice for long highway trips.
Furthermore, the wide, circumferential grooves maintain water flow, so your risk of hydroplaning is greatly reduced, and you won’t have to worry about hitting rough weather and your tires losing their functionality.
Finally, these tires feature a wide base, which allows the driver to have more control and stability.
Pros
Performs well in all temperatures
Quiet
Good value for the price
Good in wet conditions
Stable
Easy to control
Good response
Good braking
Cons
Not as advanced as other tires
Insufficient longevity
Product Specifications
Attribute
Description
Season
All-Season
Warranty
50,000 miles (80,467 km)
Maximum Speed
118 mph (190 kph)
Load Capacity
1,653 pounds (750 kg)
Rim Size
15 inches (38 cm)
Things To Consider When Buying Tesla Tires
Below are the factors you should consider before making a purchase:
Size. Each Tesla model has different size tires that it’s compatible with. So, before purchasing your new tires, you’ll need to consult your model’s user manual to determine the tire size you need.
Season. If you live in an area with intense winters, you’ll probably need to purchase tires that can handle those weather conditions.
Price. Tires can be costly, so it’s important to be reasonable about how much you’ll be able to afford to spend on your tires. You’ve probably already invested a lot of money in the car itself, so you may need to consider saving when it comes to purchasing tires for it. For more information, check out my article on why electric cars are so expensive.
Friction. Electric vehicles require low-friction tires because low rolling resistance increases electric range and efficiency.
Key Takeaways
If you’re looking for new tires for your Tesla, you have many great options. The best overall choice is the Michelin Primacy Tour A/S tires because they are safe, quiet, and suitable for use in all seasons. However, if you have specific wants for your tires, such as superior speed, tread life, winter capabilities, and more, you have plenty of other options for suitable tires.
Jonathan Rice is a writer with a degree in Applied Physics (UCL, 1998) who suffers from an obsession with green technologies and sustainable mobility.
He made this website to help answer people’s questions about new technologies, green vehicles, and as the title suggests, really anything to do with zero emission vehicles.
