If your Tesla came with plain-looking plastic discs snapped over the wheels, that’s not a base-trim placeholder — it’s an aerodynamic part. Removing it for a more “open” wheel look has a real, measurable cost in range.
What they actually do
Wheels and tires account for roughly a quarter of a car’s total aerodynamic drag, and Tesla’s aero covers are shaped to smooth airflow around that area. A former Tesla aerodynamics engineer has said wheel design is one of the biggest single levers for a road car’s efficiency, and independent testing backs up that the covers matter in practice: Electrek’s 2019 real-world test measured about a 3% range improvement at highway speed with the covers on. More recently, InsideEVs ran a 70-mph efficiency comparison on a Model Y Long Range and found the aero-covered wheels consistently used less energy per mile than the same wheels bare.
How much range that’s worth
The gain is small in percentage terms — low single digits — but it’s concentrated at highway speed, which is exactly when range anxiety tends to show up on a road trip. At city speeds, where aerodynamic drag matters less relative to rolling resistance and stop-and-go losses, the covers make little difference. If most of your driving is local errands, don’t expect to notice it; if you regularly drive highway miles at 65-75 mph, a few extra percent of range is a real, if modest, benefit.
What they cost
Tesla sells its own covers through its parts shop — Teslarati reported Model 3 Aero covers at $25 apiece and Model Y Gemini covers at $35 apiece when Tesla restocked them, sold individually rather than as a set, and specific to whether your car is a pre-refresh or refreshed model. Current shop listings show the same $25 Model 3 price point, though stock availability varies. Aftermarket versions exist from third-party sellers at a range of price points, but Tesla’s own covers are designed to match the factory wheel exactly, which matters for both fit and the aerodynamic shape doing its job.
Should you keep them on
If your car came with aero covers and you’ve been tempted to pull them for a sportier look, know what you’re trading away: a small but real hit to highway range for a cosmetic change. If you’ve already removed them, or bought a trim that doesn’t include them, buying a set back is inexpensive and reversible — worth it if range matters more to you than the exposed-wheel look, skippable if it doesn’t.
Photo by Mike Bird.