Cybertruck Tire Prices

[HaulingAss]

Yes & no. The Cybertruck is a unique vehicle, with unique challenges. One of them being the fact that as an EV customers could be very unhappy with tire noise. Another being it's a pickup truck with an extreme amount of HP and acceleration.
On the no side of the equation. Tesla has to choose a tire that "most" customers will be satisfied with. But, lots of customers will have specific needs that an all around tire, may not satisfy. That's why it's good to have a forum with discussions like this.

All true, but I'm surprised you think there will be other, better choices, unless your primary consideration is low cost at the expense of nearly everything else. Within the next 12 months it will become apparent whether there are other better choices for a significant number of Cybertruck owners. My best guess is not, and that the most popular non-OEM tire will be chosen because it has a more "manly" looking tread pattern without having better traction on most surfaces. The second most popular non-OEM tire may be simply because it's cheaper, without being better at much of anything. It could be there is only one popular non-OEM choice for both of the above qualities (more manly looking tread pattern and less expensive).

I also see many people who are convinced that a burlier looking tread pattern is automatically superior off-road (or even in deep snow, God help them). In my decades of off-roading, both winter and summer, I have noticed that the burliest looking tires tend to underperform less aggressive tread patterns in the most common off-road challenges I face on a regular basis.

Sure, if your most common challenges off-road involve deep mud pits, then get a tire for deep mud. This is a tire meant for digging. But it's going to be a big compromise everywhere else. And if your challenge is fine deep and dry sand, then an aggressive tread is going to be a lot worse than a street tire of the same size and pressure, contrary to what "common sense" tells us just from looking at them. Matt of Matt's Off-Road Recovery YouTube channel has detailed this in a manner that agrees with my sand experience as well. Common sense might make you think you would want tread "paddles" to propel you through the sand, actually the opposite is true. A truck is not a sand buggy and you will get far better sand performance with an actual slick of the same size as a mud tire. This allows the weight of the vehicle to compact the sand underneath (rather than displace it and dig in). This is one example of why using "common sense" to select a tread pattern is so misleading.

In my many years of off-roading, I've come to the conclusion that, for most firm surfaces, an aggressive looking tread is counter-productive because the less support the tread blocks have, the more the tire manufacturer must compromise on the rubber compound for reasons of structural integrity (to avoid rubber tearing and chunking of the tread blocks). In otherwords, an aggressive tread can rule out some of the softest and grippiest rubber compounds. And when wheeling on hard surfaces, a grippy rubber compound is the key to good climbing ability, especially if the surface is also wet. A softer, grippier rubber compound is also very useful in mixed conditions and mud with stones in it.

Most traction on hard surfaces comes from the friction of the rubber and is supplemented by mechanical friction of tread edges working against surface irregularities. That's why a tire with more biting edges (less aggressive tread pattern) works better in most common conditions. Of course, such a tread is more subject to plugging in wet clay and thick mud. But driving through deep mud is over-rated, IMO, and takes less skill. I never understood people who got their kicks driving through mud pits. I guess it makes them feel manly. To my way of thinking, off-roading is about to getting to cool places, not seeing who has the most outrageous mud tires. And an EV will never win a mud pit contest against a much lighter vehicle anyway.

Around the PNW, I've noticed deep mud tends to form in low bogs and other relatively flat places. It's very rare for it to be bottomless, there is generally a hard bottom that can be found with some wheel spinning, so I've never had to winch out of it, even using tires that are far from mud tires. The rocks and stones the glaciers left behind are always found at the bottom of mud pits I've needed to cross and a finer, more spidery tread pattern, even when clogged, will generally reach down and find enough biting edges to power through. This same finer and more spidery tread pattern also works very well in sand, because it most closely replicates a slick, the idea tire for climbing fine sand dunes in a truck.

Even though much of what I say may sound questionable to many off-road newbies, it is based upon a lot of real-world experience. The off-road performance of a tire is not intuitive, based upon it's looks. Tire manufacturers know this too, but they produce what sells and some people are inordinately influence by how their truck looks to others. I call it small penis syndrome.

A lighter off-road vehicle will benefit more from larger tread voids (a higher percentage ratio of void to rubber tread) than a heavier one like the Cybertruck, due to the benefit in many mixed conditions (meaning a surface with some yeild to it) of more pounds per sq. inch delivered to the traction surface. The Cybertruck has enough weight that it will benefit from a lower percentage ratio of void to rubber in the tread pattern. This will also give better on road performance by limiting tread squirm under high acceleration and/or cornering loads placed upon the tread pattern.

My expectation is that Tesla works closely with tire manufacturers and clearly communicates the relevant metrics of the vehicle and lets them know that aesthetics of the tire are only a supplemental concern to the performance of the vehicle in a wide variety of potential challenges. My belief is that it is a very rare owner that doesn't benefit from a tire having broad versatility. The reason for this is that trucks travel to different areas, and encounter a wide variety of challenges and it is a rare truck owner who installs tires for each challenge expected.

Sure, if your thing is entering mud pit contests, and that's all that matters, equip your truck with mud tires. And if all you do is drive on sandy dunes, equip with a wider than normal tire with minimal tread. But most people will want a tire that performs well in more commonly encountered conditions. For many, this might even be a highway tire, and a good one will work in most off-road conditions much better than many think. The width of the tire in conjunction with the ratio of tread/void is the most imporant way you can "tune" your tire selection for the kind of conditions you encounter the most. No matter what you select, the most important thing is that you understand the limitations of your tires, and work within them.

Because Tesla works with tire manufacturers and values performance and safety over cost, I suspect we will have a couple of great choices if you are like most people who need a tire that can very competently address a wide variety of challenges. Because you never know what life might throw at you. Just avoid the temptation of thinking it has to look gnarly to work well in all conditions. Even the best gnarly tires fail miserably at many common tasks. Pavement is the most obvious while deep sand is probably the least obvious with the potential to be the most impactful in a negative way. Deep fine sand will be the most challenging condition for the Cybertruck, relative to other off-road capable vehicles so it makes a lot of sense to avoid tires that are sure to cripple it if it encounters deep sand. For those who haven't been paying attention, that is a tire with a high ratio of void to tread blocks or any tire that is narrower.

Sponsored

 

[Coolbreeze704]

All true, but I'm surprised you think there will be other, better choices, unless your primary consideration is low cost at the expense of nearly everything else. Within the next 12 months it will become apparent whether there are other better choices for a significant number of Cybertruck owners. My best guess is not, and that the most popular non-OEM tire will be chosen because it has a more "manly" looking tread pattern without having better traction on most surfaces. The second most popular non-OEM tire may be simply because it's cheaper, without being better at much of anything. It could be there is only one popular non-OEM choice for both of the above qualities (more manly looking tread pattern and less expensive).

I also see many people who are convinced that a burlier looking tread pattern is automatically superior off-road (or even in deep snow, God help them). In my decades of off-roading, both winter and summer, I have noticed that the burliest looking tires tend to underperform less aggressive tread patterns in the most common off-road challenges I face on a regular basis.

Sure, if your most common challenges off-road involve deep mud pits, then get a tire for deep mud. This is a tire meant for digging. But it's going to be a big compromise everywhere else. And if your challenge is fine deep and dry sand, then an aggressive tread is going to be a lot worse than a street tire of the same size and pressure, contrary to what "common sense" tells us just from looking at them. Matt of Matt's Off-Road Recovery YouTube channel has detailed this in a manner that agrees with my sand experience as well. Common sense might make you think you would want tread "paddles" to propel you through the sand, actually the opposite is true. A truck is not a sand buggy and you will get far better sand performance with an actual slick of the same size as a mud tire. This allows the weight of the vehicle to compact the sand underneath (rather than displace it and dig in). This is one example of why using "common sense" to select a tread pattern is so misleading.

In my many years of off-roading, I've come to the conclusion that, for most firm surfaces, an aggressive looking tread is counter-productive because the less support the tread blocks have, the more the tire manufacturer must compromise on the rubber compound for reasons of structural integrity (to avoid rubber tearing and chunking of the tread blocks). In otherwords, an aggressive tread can rule out some of the softest and grippiest rubber compounds. And when wheeling on hard surfaces, a grippy rubber compound is the key to good climbing ability, especially if the surface is also wet. A softer, grippier rubber compound is also very useful in mixed conditions and mud with stones in it.

Most traction on hard surfaces comes from the friction of the rubber and is supplemented by mechanical friction of tread edges working against surface irregularities. That's why a tire with more biting edges (less aggressive tread pattern) works better in most common conditions. Of course, such a tread is more subject to plugging in wet clay and thick mud. But driving through deep mud is over-rated, IMO, and takes less skill. I never understood people who got their kicks driving through mud pits. I guess it makes them feel manly. To my way of thinking, off-roading is about to getting to cool places, not seeing who has the most outrageous mud tires. And an EV will never win a mud pit contest against a much lighter vehicle anyway.

Around the PNW, I've noticed deep mud tends to form in low bogs and other relatively flat places. It's very rare for it to be bottomless, there is generally a hard bottom that can be found with some wheel spinning, so I've never had to winch out of it, even using tires that are far from mud tires. The rocks and stones the glaciers left behind are always found at the bottom of mud pits I've needed to cross and a finer, more spidery tread pattern, even when clogged, will generally reach down and find enough biting edges to power through. This same finer and more spidery tread pattern also works very well in sand, because it most closely replicates a slick, the idea tire for climbing fine sand dunes in a truck.

Even though much of what I say may sound questionable to many off-road newbies, it is based upon a lot of real-world experience. The off-road performance of a tire is not intuitive, based upon it's looks. Tire manufacturers know this too, but they produce what sells and some people are inordinately influence by how their truck looks to others. I call it small penis syndrome.

A lighter off-road vehicle will benefit more from larger tread voids (a higher percentage ratio of void to rubber tread) than a heavier one like the Cybertruck, due to the benefit in many mixed conditions (meaning a surface with some yeild to it) of more pounds per sq. inch delivered to the traction surface. The Cybertruck has enough weight that it will benefit from a lower percentage ratio of void to rubber in the tread pattern. This will also give better on road performance by limiting tread squirm under high acceleration and/or cornering loads placed upon the tread pattern.

My expectation is that Tesla works closely with tire manufacturers and clearly communicates the relevant metrics of the vehicle and lets them know that aesthetics of the tire are only a supplemental concern to the performance of the vehicle in a wide variety of potential challenges. My belief is that it is a very rare owner that doesn't benefit from a tire having broad versatility. The reason for this is that trucks travel to different areas, and encounter a wide variety of challenges and it is a rare truck owner who installs tires for each challenge expected.

Sure, if your thing is entering mud pit contests, and that's all that matters, equip your truck with mud tires. And if all you do is drive on sandy dunes, equip with a wider than normal tire with minimal tread. But most people will want a tire that performs well in more commonly encountered conditions. For many, this might even be a highway tire, and a good one will work in most off-road conditions much better than many think. The width of the tire in conjunction with the ratio of tread/void is the most imporant way you can "tune" your tire selection for the kind of conditions you encounter the most. No matter what you select, the most important thing is that you understand the limitations of your tires, and work within them.

Because Tesla works with tire manufacturers and values performance and safety over cost, I suspect we will have a couple of great choices if you are like most people who need a tire that can very competently address a wide variety of challenges. Because you never know what life might throw at you. Just avoid the temptation of thinking it has to look gnarly to work well in all conditions. Even the best gnarly tires fail miserably at many common tasks. Pavement is the most obvious while deep sand is probably the least obvious with the potential to be the most impactful in a negative way. Deep fine sand will be the most challenging condition for the Cybertruck, relative to other off-road capable vehicles so it makes a lot of sense to avoid tires that are sure to cripple it if it encounters deep sand. For those who haven't been paying attention, that is a tire with a high ratio of void to tread blocks or any tire that is narrower.

Dang HAss
That's a lot of words.

 

[John K]

How to differentiate my CT from the masses? Ugly looking commuting tires

 

[tidmutt]

All true, but I'm surprised you think there will be other, better choices, unless your primary consideration is low cost at the expense of nearly everything else. Within the next 12 months it will become apparent whether there are other better choices for a significant number of Cybertruck owners. My best guess is not, and that the most popular non-OEM tire will be chosen because it has a more "manly" looking tread pattern without having better traction on most surfaces. The second most popular non-OEM tire may be simply because it's cheaper, without being better at much of anything. It could be there is only one popular non-OEM choice for both of the above qualities (more manly looking tread pattern and less expensive).

I also see many people who are convinced that a burlier looking tread pattern is automatically superior off-road (or even in deep snow, God help them). In my decades of off-roading, both winter and summer, I have noticed that the burliest looking tires tend to underperform less aggressive tread patterns in the most common off-road challenges I face on a regular basis.

Sure, if your most common challenges off-road involve deep mud pits, then get a tire for deep mud. This is a tire meant for digging. But it's going to be a big compromise everywhere else. And if your challenge is fine deep and dry sand, then an aggressive tread is going to be a lot worse than a street tire of the same size and pressure, contrary to what "common sense" tells us just from looking at them. Matt of Matt's Off-Road Recovery YouTube channel has detailed this in a manner that agrees with my sand experience as well. Common sense might make you think you would want tread "paddles" to propel you through the sand, actually the opposite is true. A truck is not a sand buggy and you will get far better sand performance with an actual slick of the same size as a mud tire. This allows the weight of the vehicle to compact the sand underneath (rather than displace it and dig in). This is one example of why using "common sense" to select a tread pattern is so misleading.

In my many years of off-roading, I've come to the conclusion that, for most firm surfaces, an aggressive looking tread is counter-productive because the less support the tread blocks have, the more the tire manufacturer must compromise on the rubber compound for reasons of structural integrity (to avoid rubber tearing and chunking of the tread blocks). In otherwords, an aggressive tread can rule out some of the softest and grippiest rubber compounds. And when wheeling on hard surfaces, a grippy rubber compound is the key to good climbing ability, especially if the surface is also wet. A softer, grippier rubber compound is also very useful in mixed conditions and mud with stones in it.

Most traction on hard surfaces comes from the friction of the rubber and is supplemented by mechanical friction of tread edges working against surface irregularities. That's why a tire with more biting edges (less aggressive tread pattern) works better in most common conditions. Of course, such a tread is more subject to plugging in wet clay and thick mud. But driving through deep mud is over-rated, IMO, and takes less skill. I never understood people who got their kicks driving through mud pits. I guess it makes them feel manly. To my way of thinking, off-roading is about to getting to cool places, not seeing who has the most outrageous mud tires. And an EV will never win a mud pit contest against a much lighter vehicle anyway.

Around the PNW, I've noticed deep mud tends to form in low bogs and other relatively flat places. It's very rare for it to be bottomless, there is generally a hard bottom that can be found with some wheel spinning, so I've never had to winch out of it, even using tires that are far from mud tires. The rocks and stones the glaciers left behind are always found at the bottom of mud pits I've needed to cross and a finer, more spidery tread pattern, even when clogged, will generally reach down and find enough biting edges to power through. This same finer and more spidery tread pattern also works very well in sand, because it most closely replicates a slick, the idea tire for climbing fine sand dunes in a truck.

Even though much of what I say may sound questionable to many off-road newbies, it is based upon a lot of real-world experience. The off-road performance of a tire is not intuitive, based upon it's looks. Tire manufacturers know this too, but they produce what sells and some people are inordinately influence by how their truck looks to others. I call it small penis syndrome.

A lighter off-road vehicle will benefit more from larger tread voids (a higher percentage ratio of void to rubber tread) than a heavier one like the Cybertruck, due to the benefit in many mixed conditions (meaning a surface with some yeild to it) of more pounds per sq. inch delivered to the traction surface. The Cybertruck has enough weight that it will benefit from a lower percentage ratio of void to rubber in the tread pattern. This will also give better on road performance by limiting tread squirm under high acceleration and/or cornering loads placed upon the tread pattern.

My expectation is that Tesla works closely with tire manufacturers and clearly communicates the relevant metrics of the vehicle and lets them know that aesthetics of the tire are only a supplemental concern to the performance of the vehicle in a wide variety of potential challenges. My belief is that it is a very rare owner that doesn't benefit from a tire having broad versatility. The reason for this is that trucks travel to different areas, and encounter a wide variety of challenges and it is a rare truck owner who installs tires for each challenge expected.

Sure, if your thing is entering mud pit contests, and that's all that matters, equip your truck with mud tires. And if all you do is drive on sandy dunes, equip with a wider than normal tire with minimal tread. But most people will want a tire that performs well in more commonly encountered conditions. For many, this might even be a highway tire, and a good one will work in most off-road conditions much better than many think. The width of the tire in conjunction with the ratio of tread/void is the most imporant way you can "tune" your tire selection for the kind of conditions you encounter the most. No matter what you select, the most important thing is that you understand the limitations of your tires, and work within them.

Because Tesla works with tire manufacturers and values performance and safety over cost, I suspect we will have a couple of great choices if you are like most people who need a tire that can very competently address a wide variety of challenges. Because you never know what life might throw at you. Just avoid the temptation of thinking it has to look gnarly to work well in all conditions. Even the best gnarly tires fail miserably at many common tasks. Pavement is the most obvious while deep sand is probably the least obvious with the potential to be the most impactful in a negative way. Deep fine sand will be the most challenging condition for the Cybertruck, relative to other off-road capable vehicles so it makes a lot of sense to avoid tires that are sure to cripple it if it encounters deep sand. For those who haven't been paying attention, that is a tire with a high ratio of void to tread blocks or any tire that is narrower.

I don't give a damn about how manly a tire tread looks, that's for losers. I'm interested in the data. If you can point me at a set of tires that functions best for my usage and costs less, I'm down, regardless of how they look. I really hope something like that is/will be available.

 

[EVSport7]

I don't give a damn about how manly a tire tread looks, that's for losers. I'm interested in the data. If you can point me at a set of tires that functions best for my usage and costs less, I'm down, regardless of how they look. I really hope something like that is/will be available.

Agreed. Unfortunately until some of these larger EVs get more buyers to justify the big tire manufacturers attention, might be stuck with higher prices and limited options for awhile. Hopefully they come out faster than I'm thinking

 

[wtibbit]

Dang HAss
That's a lot of words.

Yes that was... They all made sense, too.

But, hey, let's try condensing them to the a bare minimum:

Buy low void/fine tread tires for their performance. Don't buy gnarly tires for their looks. I know about this. ​

Hmmm.... I think those who could be talked out of buying the wrong tires will need all the words to change their minds...

 

[Coolbreeze704]

I don't give a damn about how manly a tire tread looks, that's for losers. I'm interested in the data. If you can point me at a set of tires that functions best for my usage and costs less, I'm down, regardless of how they look. I really hope something like that is/will be available.

I haven't read all these posts so this may not be relevant but on the chance it helps, here we go.

I love the fact that posers sell perfectly good OEM tires as soon as they buy their new truck to spend a fortune on fancy rims and hulking tires. I have been able to buy them for pennies on the dollar on Facebook marketplace to keep myself in fresh new tires matched to my vehicle for next to nothing.

I have a feeling there will be plenty of OEM Cybertruck tires for cheap real soon.

 

[wtibbit]

I haven't read all these posts so this may not be relevant but on the chance it helps, here we go.

I love the fact that posers sell perfectly good OEM tires as soon as they buy their new truck to spend a fortune on fancy rims and hulking tires. I have been able to buy them for pennies on the dollar on Facebook marketplace to keep myself in fresh new tires matched to my vehicle for next to nothing.

I have a feeling there will be plenty of OEM Cybertruck tires for cheap real soon.

I like the way you think! That's my new plan, too.

 

[cvalue13]

So if the truck is around that price I'm surprised because I figured those tires would be substantially more.

the tires Tesla provides?

because I’d guess they’re much more from Tesla, and that for a long time there won’t be many alternatives for a rite that is all of: 35’, speed rated to 130, load rated to D

 

[HaulingAss]

I haven't read all these posts so this may not be relevant but on the chance it helps, here we go.

I love the fact that posers sell perfectly good OEM tires as soon as they buy their new truck to spend a fortune on fancy rims and hulking tires. I have been able to buy them for pennies on the dollar on Facebook marketplace to keep myself in fresh new tires matched to my vehicle for next to nothing.

I have a feeling there will be plenty of OEM Cybertruck tires for cheap real soon.

I do that too, just make sure you don't let them age too long before you are ready to use them and you have a cool, dry place to store them if it's going to be a couple of years.

 

[Crissa]

Yes & no. The Cybertruck is a unique vehicle, with unique challenges. One of them being the fact that as an EV, customers could be very unhappy with tire noise. Another being it's a pickup truck with an extreme amount of HP and acceleration.
On the no side of the equation. Tesla has to choose a tire that "most" customers will be satisfied with. But, lots of customers will have specific needs that an all around tire, may not satisfy. That's why it's good to have a forum with discussions like this.

This is exactly the point. What tire is the 'best' tire varies by your application - and with trucks, that application varies alot more than a 'grand touring'.

We're always going to be at the intersection of availability and price, but whether you want to focus on wet pavement, road noise, gravel, sand, mud, snow... The best tire will vary alot.

I live in the mountains. I need the stickiest, best wet pavement, tire I can get. We never get snow, or ice, just constant wet all winter. But I'll probably get a spare set for crawling around mountain roads, because the best for A is not the best for B. Hopefully rated for snow will fit in there, too, since I do like crossing into the snowy lands in the winter. Compounds in tires have gotten really complex!

Tesla will optimize for range and noise in their standard tires. You might want to optimize for miles or offroad - they might offer an offroad option, since we keep seeing one when they show off the truck.

-Crissa

 

[Firetruck41]

I'd get the Yokohama Geolandar AT GO15. They are great tires that I've had on several full size trucks. Good all seasons, as well as the occasional off-road and fire road jaunts. I'd be at $1720, after military discount, no tire certificates and including sales tax and all the mount/balance fees.

Sponsored