EV wheel/tire size advantages for range?

[California98Civic]

Wouldn't larger wheel/tire diameters have benefits for EV range, all other dimensions such as weight and width and LRR qualities being equal?

[NeilBlanchard]

Yes, and the evidence is the most efficient EV - the BMW i3 - uses the 19" 155 Bridgestone front and 19" 175 rear.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

Yes, and the evidence is the most efficient EV - the BMW i3 - uses the 19" 155 Bridgestone front and 19" 175 rear.

Thanks for that. When I hunted online I saw a lot of unconvincing answers... unconvincing because they did not seem to appreciate tne multiple variables involved. When I was building my ebike, the calculations for a larger power-wheel showed higher speeds and ranges with the same motor. I still chose a smaller wheel because I did not want more speed, got my range through battery sizing, and wanted more torque at lower speeds than I would get with a bigger wheel (hill climbing was a big priority).

When I started ecomodding my civic 5 years ago, it was with the idea that it might be my last ICE. Cool OEM EVs are starting to appear on the used market... I start dreaming.

[MobilOne]

What about "stop and go" where a lot of ev's spend much of their urban life?

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by MobilOne

What about "stop and go" where a lot of ev's spend much of their urban life?

The key is to keep weight down at least as low as the OEM wheel/tire combo. Tires are not all the same weight. Another thing to keep in mind is how far from the hub the weight is. The further from the hub, the greater the effect on rotational mass when a car is accelerating or decelerating. Thinner, taller, lighter wheel/tire combos would be the way to go... hence BMW 19" 155mm wheel/tire combos on the i3.