Atomic Wheels range tests on AT and Road tires

[Atomic Wheels]

Hello all,

As promised, we have completed the range and efficiency tests to provide you with numbers that are close to real-life conditions.

Today we are going to show you the range test for the following sets:

OEM 20" All-Terrain Dark set, equipped with 275/65/R20 Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires, with ~26000 miles on them
[AW10] 20x9, equipped with brand new 275/65/R20 Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires
[AW10] 20x9, equipped with brand new 275/60/R20 MICHELIN DEFENDER LTX M/S2 275/60/20

[AW10] + Factory-sized OEM Pirelli tires:
​

[AW10] + MICHELIN DEFENDER LTX M/S2 275/60/20:

Let's start with a simple thing - weighting each set​

OEM 20" All-Terrain Dark set, equipped with 275/65/R20 Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires, with ~26000 miles on them.

82.8 LBS each wheel:

​

[AW10] 20x9, equipped with brand new 275/65/R20 Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires.

77.8 LBS each wheel:

​

[AW10] 20x9, equipped with brand new 275/60/R20 MICHELIN DEFENDER LTX M/S2 275/60/20

69.4 LBS each wheel:

About the R1T we used to do tests:

2022 R1T adventure
No Reinforcement shield
35000 miles on the clock
Quad with Large pack

About the test:

1. Loop-style ~25-mile drive (~12.5 mi each way) to minimize wind and terrain impact
2. 70 mph by GPS
3. All-purpose mode
4. Standard Height
5. Soft Ride
6. High Regen
7. Pressure in tires between 48 and 50 psi
8. Climat set to 70F at minimum speed
9. The tonneau cover is closed
10. The only driver in the car
11. No spare in the compartment but all the stuff that is usually traveling in the truck is not taken out

Test #1
Factory set ​

Temperature outside - 23F
Battery at 67F
Considerably noticeable wind
24.3 mi driven
Average speed 66mph
22 minutes long

The final efficiency is 1.63mi/kWh

Considering the weather, and adding 20% that we are losing during cold weather. That means in good conditions efficiency would be 1.956 mi/kWh which aligns with lifetime calculation. That means the range in All-Purpose will be 264 mi, which again aligns with claimed by Rivian numbers for this setup.

Test #2
[AW10] 20x9, equipped with brand new 275/65/R20 Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires.
​

Temperature outside - 28F
Battery at 64F
Considerably noticeable wind
24.3 mi driven
Average speed 66mph
22 minutes long

The final efficiency is 1.72mi/kWh

Considering the weather, and adding 20% that we are losing during cold weather. That means in good conditions efficiency would be 2.064 mi/kWh. That means the range in All-Purpose will be 278 mi.

The purpose of this test is to show, that when you're switching to [AW10] with factory AT tires you won't experience a bigger hit in range, more to say, you will see a small increase in efficiency due to saving a bit of total weight. A wider rim and more aggressive offset are not affecting efficiency that much if at all.

Test #3
[AW10] 20x9, equipped with brand new 275/60/R20 MICHELIN DEFENDER LTX M/S2 275/60/20
​

Temperature outside - 34F
Battery at 62F
Considerably noticeable wind
25.1 mi driven
Average speed 68mph
22 minutes long

The final efficiency is 2.04mi/kWh

Considering the weather, and adding 20% that we are losing during cold weather. That means in good conditions efficiency would be 2.448 mi/kWh. That means the range in All-Purpose will be 330 mi. Theoretically, in this case, the range exceeds the claimed range when your R1 is equipped with factory 21-inch wheels, even in All-Purpose mode.

We also can say, that a 0.5" wider rim with a more aggressive offset does not affect efficiency, because you are saving unsprung weight on a fully assembled wheel due to a lighter fully forged [AW10].

We are preparing a video version of the test, with full-length drives for those who will think we are manipulating with numbers.

[AW10] 20x9 is in stock in 3 colors:
Satin Bronze
Satin + Transparent Black
Satin Black

Ready for shipping.

Please let us know if you have any questions!
214.225.8585
[email protected]
www.atomic-wheels.com

Sponsored

 

[Wing]

Did you account for the different size wheel? IE you say you travelled 25.1 miles but did you actually drive 24.3 miles because you are now off 3%?

24.3 * 1.03 = 25 miles. Going to assume you did the same route. So your average is off 3% so the Defenders got 1.98mi/kwh

 

[Atomic Wheels]

Did you account for the different size wheel? IE you say you travelled 25.1 miles but did you actually drive 24.3 miles because you are now off 3%?

24.3 * 1.03 = 25 miles. Going to assume you did the same route. So your average is off 3% so the Defenders got 1.98mi/kwh

The truck utilized in our test is equipped with 20-inch wheels, which have a diameter of 34 inches. And programmed to that size.

The selection of 275/60/20 Michelin tires is informed by the preferences of users who transition from 22 and 21-inch wheels and wish to avoid reprogramming their trucks. These tires closely match the overall size of the larger wheels, ensuring compatibility without the need for modifications.

Consequently, on Michelin tires, we observe extended distances due to the truck's differential calculations. Consistency in testing was maintained by starting and finishing at identical points each time.

It is important to note that this test is not conducted under scientifically rigorous conditions. It is designed primarily to inform and provide a general understanding for those interested in the implications of changing tire sizes on their trucks.

 

[Wing]

So no. You just have to do the 3% math which I did. But thanks for clarifying that you did not do the conversion.

It's an interesting test, because I'd like to switch from the factory ATs to road tires and was hoping to see an efficiency gain and it looks like there should be one. In fact close to 13% Which makes sense.

Personally I'm looking for the lightest road tire in 275/65/20

 

[LL75]

Hello all,

As promised, we have completed the range and efficiency tests to provide you with numbers that are close to real-life conditions.

Today we are going to show you the range test for the following sets:

OEM 20" All-Terrain Dark set, equipped with 275/65/R20 Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires, with ~26000 miles on them
[AW10] 20x9, equipped with brand new 275/65/R20 Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires
[AW10] 20x9, equipped with brand new 275/60/R20 MICHELIN DEFENDER LTX M/S2 275/60/20

[AW10] + Factory-sized OEM Pirelli tires:
​

[AW10] + MICHELIN DEFENDER LTX M/S2 275/60/20:

Let's start with a simple thing - weighting each set​

OEM 20" All-Terrain Dark set, equipped with 275/65/R20 Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires, with ~26000 miles on them.

82.8 LBS each wheel:

​

[AW10] 20x9, equipped with brand new 275/65/R20 Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires.

77.8 LBS each wheel:

​

[AW10] 20x9, equipped with brand new 275/60/R20 MICHELIN DEFENDER LTX M/S2 275/60/20

69.4 LBS each wheel:

About the R1T we used to do tests:

2022 R1T adventure
No Reinforcement shield
35000 miles on the clock
Quad with Large pack

About the test:

1. Loop-style ~25-mile drive (~12.5 mi each way) to minimize wind and terrain impact
2. 70 mph by GPS
3. All-purpose mode
4. Standard Height
5. Soft Ride
6. High Regen
7. Pressure in tires between 48 and 50 psi
8. Climat set to 70F at minimum speed
9. The tonneau cover is closed
10. The only driver in the car
11. No spare in the compartment but all the stuff that is usually traveling in the truck is not taken out

Test #1
Factory set ​

Temperature outside - 23F
Battery at 67F
Considerably noticeable wind
24.3 mi driven
Average speed 66mph
22 minutes long

The final efficiency is 1.63mi/kWh

Considering the weather, and adding 20% that we are losing during cold weather. That means in good conditions efficiency would be 1.956 mi/kWh which aligns with lifetime calculation. That means the range in All-Purpose will be 264 mi, which again aligns with claimed by Rivian numbers for this setup.

Test #2
[AW10] 20x9, equipped with brand new 275/65/R20 Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires.
​

Temperature outside - 28F
Battery at 64F
Considerably noticeable wind
24.3 mi driven
Average speed 66mph
22 minutes long

The final efficiency is 1.72mi/kWh

Considering the weather, and adding 20% that we are losing during cold weather. That means in good conditions efficiency would be 2.064 mi/kWh. That means the range in All-Purpose will be 278 mi.

The purpose of this test is to show, that when you're switching to [AW10] with factory AT tires you won't experience a bigger hit in range, more to say, you will see a small increase in efficiency due to saving a bit of total weight. A wider rim and more aggressive offset are not affecting efficiency that much if at all.

Test #3
[AW10] 20x9, equipped with brand new 275/60/R20 MICHELIN DEFENDER LTX M/S2 275/60/20
​

Temperature outside - 34F
Battery at 62F
Considerably noticeable wind
25.1 mi driven
Average speed 68mph
22 minutes long

The final efficiency is 2.04mi/kWh

Considering the weather, and adding 20% that we are losing during cold weather. That means in good conditions efficiency would be 2.448 mi/kWh. That means the range in All-Purpose will be 330 mi. Theoretically, in this case, the range exceeds the claimed range when your R1 is equipped with factory 21-inch wheels, even in All-Purpose mode.

We also can say, that a 0.5" wider rim with a more aggressive offset does not affect efficiency, because you are saving unsprung weight on a fully assembled wheel due to a lighter fully forged [AW10].

We are preparing a video version of the test, with full-length drives for those who will think we are manipulating with numbers.

[AW10] 20x9 is in stock in 3 colors:
Satin Bronze
Satin + Transparent Black
Satin Black

Ready for shipping.

Please let us know if you have any questions!
214.225.8585
[email protected]
www.atomic-wheels.com

thank you for those tests. There is a guy on FB that switched from stock 22 wheels to forged wheels and kept his original OEM tires. He also stated that he gained efficiency due to the weight of the wheels

 

[LL75]

Did you account for the different size wheel? IE you say you travelled 25.1 miles but did you actually drive 24.3 miles because you are now off 3%?

24.3 * 1.03 = 25 miles. Going to assume you did the same route. So your average is off 3% so the Defenders got 1.98mi/kwh

According to the tires size calculator, the diamter different between the stock 21" with 275/55/21 tires and the 20" with 275/60/20 tires is 0.3% and not 3% , or am I missing something important in the calculation?

 

[windblowlc]

According to the tires size calculator, the diamter different between the stock 21" with 275/55/21 tires and the 20" with 275/60/20 tires is 0.3% and not 3% , or am I missing something important in the calculation?

He's comparing 275/60/20 against 275/65/20 AT, 33" tires vs 34" tires

 

[Wing]

Right if you are going to compare to the stock 275/65/20 it's off by 3%.

The numbers make no sense otherwise as it would artificially look like you have more efficiency by simply putting a tiny wheel on the car.

 

[AllInev]

@Atomicatmm Thanks for doing this legwork!

I recalled that the "Engineering Explained" YouTube channel did a short episode on "large" vs "small" wheels on EVs. The conclusion was, all else being equal, smaller wheels led to better efficiency.

Here's a link to that episode:

 

[adam_g]

An obvious problem is that the temperature is a huge confounding variable here.

 

[Stainer85]

An obvious problem is that the temperature is a huge confounding variable here.

It would be great if the temperature of the battery was the same for all three tests, but like they commented, not a scientific test. I’m not sure how much of a difference it would make with those similar temperatures. If anything, the colder battery temps were with the AW10 versus the stock wheels. So wouldn’t that favor the efficiency gains of the AW10 even more?

Anyone know what the battery temperature should be if conditions were ideal?

 

[babalegba]

Thank you for the tests. I'm switching from 21s and I'm plenty happy if efficiency is at least the same.

 

[MRE]

I'm about to switch from factory 20" A/Ts to factory 21s, but now I'm wondering if I should just buy those Michelin Defenders and try them on the stock wheel!

 

[LL75]

I'm about to switch from factory 20" A/Ts to factory 21s, but now I'm wondering if I should just buy those Michelin Defenders and try them on the stock wheel!

I would

 

[AbhorViolence]

I'm about to switch from factory 20" A/Ts to factory 21s, but now I'm wondering if I should just buy those Michelin Defenders and try them on the stock wheel!

This is the way. The stock 20s are much better (forged) wheels than the 21s, and crucially you have a lot more tire options, like these excellent new Michelins. I specifically got my truck with 20s for this reason with the intent of swapping them to road tires for better efficiency.

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