Tesla Model 3 winter wheels: the right wheel and tyre package for your version

Which winter wheel size suits your Tesla Model 3?

Find your version in the table; exceptions depending on the wheel are shown on each product page.

In winter, the smallest diameter your version allows is often the sensible choice: a taller sidewall against potholes, and lower energy use. As a rule of thumb, each inch of wheel diameter you drop cuts energy use by around 5%: that is what GreenDrive sees, and Tesla’s official ratings point the same way. At the launch of the Model 3 Highland Long Range, the WLTP figures gave 678 km of range on 18-inch wheels (an estimate at the time) against 629 km on 19-inch (electrive). Tyre, speed and temperature shift the real gap. Already have winter tyres? See our alloy wheels for the Tesla Model 3 or our tyres for the Tesla Model 3.

Winter tyres for UK and Irish drivers, and for ski trips abroad

Neither the UK nor Ireland requires winter tyres: on a Model 3 they are recommended, not a legal requirement. The Highway Code’s snow and ice rules (228 to 231) say nothing about winter tyres (GOV.UK); the law sets a 1.6 mm minimum tread depth (Highway Code, Annex 6), as in Ireland (AA Ireland).

For a ski trip, France’s Loi Montagne (mountain law) runs from 1 November to 31 March in signed mountain areas: four winter tyres, or chains or snow socks on board for at least two driven wheels. Since 1 November 2024, a winter tyre must carry the 3PMSF symbol, the three-peak mountain with a snowflake; M+S alone is no longer enough (Préfecture de la Savoie). Germany requires alpine-symbol tyres in ice, snow, slush or frost (§ 2 StVO, § 36 StVZO). Austria requires winter equipment in wintry conditions from 1 November to 15 April, with at least 4 mm of tread (Austrian transport ministry). Italy lets road operators require winter tyres or chains on board from 15 November to 15 April (Italian transport ministry).

The winter tyres in our sets carry the 3PMSF symbol; check the marking of any all-season option. On four 3PMSF tyres, your Model 3 meets these rules without chains, unless a sign demands them.

What each package includes

• 4 alloy wheels and 4 winter tyres, fitted and balanced, ready to bolt on;
• your Model 3’s original wheel nuts, reused: no nuts to order;
• tyre pressure sensors (TPMS) programmed for Tesla and ready to use, optional on some product pages: 433 MHz for a Model 3 built before 2021, Bluetooth after that;
• the winter tyre you choose on the product page from several brands, except on some Highland Performance sets supplied with a set tyre;
• the wheel’s type approval stated on the product page (TÜV, ECE or JWL/VIA standards, depending on the wheel), with a downloadable certificate where one exists; a Swiss type-approval certificate is available as an option.

Once the wheels are on: what the Model 3 manual says

With the new wheels fitted, select your winter tyres under Service > Wheel & Tire > Tires on the touchscreen; Tesla says this helps the car recalibrate faster (Model 3 Owner’s Manual).

On chains, Tesla recommends König-type chains, for example the CG-9 size 102 for the Model 3’s 18-inch wheels, the CG-9 size 103 for 19-inch or the K-Summit K34 for 20-inch; the chains in our chains and equipment for the Tesla Model 3 category work on the same principle. The manual says to fit them to the rear tyres, never on summer tyres, and to stay below 48 km/h (30 mph); remove any aero covers first.

Tesla Model 3 winter wheels: your questions answered

Which winter wheels fit a Model 3 Highland 2024+?

Standard Rear-Wheel Drive or Premium: 18-, 19- or 20-inch sets with four identical wheels whose product page lists the Highland 2024+, as some 19-inch wheels are made for 2019–2023 cars. Performance: its dedicated staggered sets, 19 or 20 inches.

Why no 18-inch winter wheels for the Model 3 Highland 2024+ Performance?

Its oversized brake calipers do not clear an 18-inch wheel, so its smallest winter size is 19 inches.

Are tyre pressure sensors included?

Yes: every package includes four TPMS sensors programmed for Tesla, ready to use; on some product pages, you can go without them if you reuse your own. The type depends on the year: 433 MHz for a Model 3 built before 2021, Bluetooth after that, to be chosen on the product page.

Do I need winter tyres on a Model 3 in the UK or Ireland?

No law requires them, but they make sense once mornings drop below 5 °C, when high-performance summer tyres lose grip, says the Model 3 manual (Model 3 Owner’s Manual). For the French mountains, fit them by 1 November.

Are all-season tyres enough for the French Alps?

Only if they carry the 3PMSF symbol; with the M+S marking by itself, you need chains or snow socks on board (Préfecture de la Savoie).

Can I swap winter wheels between front and rear?

Yes on sets with four identical wheels. No on the staggered sets for the Model 3 Highland 2024+ Performance, which are wider at the rear: mark each wheel’s position when you take them off.