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Tesla Model Y wheels and its impact on 0-60 acceleration

Credit: YouTube | Brian Jenkins of i1Tesla

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With the Tesla Model Y just beginning first deliveries a few weeks ago, owners are getting their first tastes of how the new all-electric crossover performs. Brian Jenkins from YouTube channel i1Tesla took his experiments a few steps further and recorded the Model Y Performance 0-60 MPH acceleration time based on the factory 21″ Uberturbine wheel size and several aftermarket wheel options.

Brian brought his Model Y Performance to a research center known as NCCAR in Northhampton County, North Carolina, to test acceleration rates from 0-60 MPH. The tests were performed with the 21″ Uberturbine wheels that come standard with the Model Y’s optional performance upgrade, 19″ TSW wheels from EVtuning.com, and 18″ MWO3 Forged rims from Martian Wheels.

The Uberturbine front wheels weigh 64.8 pounds, with the slightly wider rear wheels weighing 68.6 pounds with the tires attached according to a wheel weight test performed by Brian at the NCCAR facility. Meanwhile, the 19″ TSW wheels weigh 47.6 pounds with a tire and 23 pounds on their own. The 18″ Martian MWO3 Forged wheels weigh 40.7 pounds with a tire installed onto the rim. Martian’s website states the rim weighs only 17.3 pounds without a tire attached to them.

The first runs of the vehicle were with the 21″ Uberturbine rims. Brian ran four times with these wheels on the vehicle, utilizing two runs to test its normal 0-60 MPH time, one run using Tesla’s Slip Start feature, and one run using the Model Y’s Off-Road setting. The tests were performed with a battery charge of between 82% and 74%. A Dragy GPS recorded the times.

Tesla Model Y 0-60 mph with 21″ Tesla Uberturbine Wheels (68.6 pounds with tire)

  • Run 1 – Normal: 0-60 MPH in 3.77 seconds
  • Run 2 – Normal: 0-60 MPH in 5.74 seconds
  • Run 3 – Slip Start: 0-60 MPH in 3.81 seconds
  • Run 4 – Off-Road: 0-60 MPH in 3.83 seconds

The next two runs were performed with both the 19″ TSW and 18″ MWO3 Wheels. Because of the lighter weight, the runs with these tires were noticeably faster.

Tesla Model Y 0-60 mph with 19″ TSW Wheels (47.6 pounds with tire, 23 pounds without tire)

  • Run 1 – Normal: 0-60 MPH in 3.45 seconds

 

Tesla Model Y 0-60 mph with 18″ Martian MWO3 Forged Wheels (40.7 pounds with tire, 17.3 pounds without tire)

  • Run 1 – Normal: 0-60 MPH in 3.42 seconds

 

The lighter and smaller TSW wheels shaved .29 seconds off of the Tesla Uberturbine wheels, but the even smaller and lighter 18″ Martian rims managed to trim almost a third of a second off of the quarter-mile time with a .32 second faster 0-60 time.

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The size of the wheel also affects the range of the vehicle. The EPA’s current rating of the Model Y Performance states the car offers 315 miles of range, when paired with the 19″ Gemini wheels, and 280 miles of range with the larger and heavier 21″ Uberturbine wheels.

Comparisons of the Model 3’s different rim sizes affect the range as well, where the 20″ wheels give 299 miles, 19″ wheels offer 304 miles, and 18″ will give the driver 322 miles of driving range.

We’ve embedded Brian’s video below, which shows how Model Y’s 0-60 MPH acceleration varies by wheel and tire sizing.

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Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

Lifestyle

Tesla brings perhaps the coolest interior feature to cars in latest update

Tesla adds on to the “fun” aspect of its vehicles.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has brought perhaps the coolest interior feature to its cars in a new update that is rolling out to vehicles now.

The feature will require a newer vehicle that has interior ambient lighting, which is present on the new Model S, Model X, Model 3 “Highland,” and Model Y “Juniper.” The Cybertruck also has ambient lighting strips throughout.

Tesla Model Y’s ambient lighting design changes revealed in leaked video

With the Version 2025.26+ Software Update, Tesla is rolling out a new “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music” feature, which is available on the Tesla Toybox:

To enable the feature, you’ll access the Toybox, choose “Light Sync,” and then choose “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music.”

Although it does not improve the performance of the vehicle, it is yet another example of Tesla making one of the coolest cars out there. This is truly a cool add-on that can be used to impress your friends and family.

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Elon Musk

xAI, Musk Foundation helps schools near Memphis supercomputer site

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

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xAI-supercomputer-memphis-environment-pushback
(Credit: xAI)

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI and the Musk Foundation have been supporting Memphis-Shelby County Schools with HVAC repairs and facility upgrades, while also funding youth programs for students in the area. 

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

xAI’s school visits lead to facility repairs

Representatives from xAI visited John P. Freeman Optional School, Fairley High School, and Westwood High School, all of which are located near its Colossus supercomputer site, to assess HVAC systems, plumbing, gym facilities, and athletic fields. The visits resulted in a list of priority repairs, some of which were completed in April and May.

In addition to the repairs, xAI also shared a number of initiatives that are planned for students in the area, as stated in a Commercial Appeal report.

“xAI is working on providing STEM workshops for local students, donating equipment to technical training programs, and supporting job fairs to boost employment opportunities. These initiatives reflect xAl’s commitment to fostering education and economic growth in Memphis,” xAI noted in a statement.

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Musk Foundation donation

Apart from xAI, the Musk Foundation also donated $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis, enabling the reopening of two club sites located at Booker T. Washington High School and Westwood High School. Both locations had closed earlier this year due to lapses in funding. As per xAI, the Musk Foundation’s donation allows clubs to reopen for almost 1,000 students. 

The donation will fund staffing, supplies, and transportation, among others. “Kids are the future of humanity,” Elon Musk said in a statement, adding that students need “every chance to shoot for the stars.”

“We’re honored to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis in reopening these sites, giving kids in underserved communities the tools to build brighter futures,” Musk said.

The gift was praised by local officials, including Boys & Girls Clubs board chair Michael Garriga, who stated that the “commitment will ensure the youth of our community have the opportunities they need to develop their skills and talents to become successful students and future citizens.”

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EV fans urge Tesla to acquire Unplugged Performance for edge in fleet and security industry

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles.

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Credit: Unplugged Performance

A growing number of Tesla enthusiasts and longtime community voices are calling on the electric vehicle maker to acquire Unplugged Performance, a California-based aftermarket company best known for tuning Tesla vehicles and developing specialized government fleet solutions under its UP.FIT division.

The idea was once considered a niche proposal among EV fans, but it is now gaining serious attention not just as a performance play but as a strategic move to deepen Tesla’s roots in the fleet and security industry. 

A strategic fit

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles, from track-optimized components to visual and aerodynamic upgrades. But in recent years, its UP.FIT division has pivoted toward a more functional future by outfitting Tesla vehicles like Model Ys for police, military, and government use.

That work has sparked growing calls for closer collaboration with Tesla, especially as the EV maker increasingly leans into autonomy, AI, and fleet services as core components of its next chapter.

“I posted this four years ago, but I think it’s more true now than ever,” wrote Whole Mars Catalog, a well-known Tesla investor and FSD Beta tester, on X. “Tesla should buy Unplugged. But not just as a Performance division. What they are doing with UP.FIT unlocks large government and commercial fleet purchases that can improve utilization.”

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Tesla fans such as shareholder Sawyer Merritt echoed the sentiment, calling Unplugged a “great fit within Tesla.” adding, “They are literally located directly next to Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne.”

Enabling the next wave

Supporters of the idea noted that integrating Unplugged into Tesla’s corporate structure could help accelerate the adoption of autonomous technologies in government sectors. With UP.FIT patrol cars already in use across some U.S. police departments, Tesla fans envisioned a future where self-driving Teslas could potentially revolutionize law enforcement, search-and-rescue, and public service logistics.

“Just imagine how autonomous patrol cars could transform policing and bring us into a safer future,” the veteran FSD tester wrote.

The benefits could also extend to Tesla’s existing consumer base. “They also have some incredible products in the works that I think will appeal to many ordinary Tesla drivers — not just those looking for performance or mods. Stuff that’s so good it should have come straight from the design studio next door,” Whole Mars Catalog noted.

Unplugged Performance, founded in 2013, shares not just a product vision with Tesla, but also geography. Its Hawthorne headquarters sits directly adjacent to Tesla’s design studio, and the two companies have maintained a close working relationship over the years. The aftermarket firm has long positioned itself as a “mission-aligned” partner to Tesla.

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In response to the recent calls for acquisition, Unplugged Performance acknowledged the support from the community. “Our very existence is to support the Tesla mission with @UpfitTesla and @UnpluggedTesla,” Unplugged CEO Ben Schaffer posted on X. “We love working with Tesla and are grateful for the community’s support since 2013!”

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