Tesla Model Y factory wheel and tyre sizes: the complete table

The Model Y owner’s manual publishes the factory specification of its wheels and tyres: four diameters from 18 to 21 inches, each with a set rim width, offset and tyre size source. Those Tesla Model Y factory wheels are the reference for any replacement, and the numbers leave less room for manoeuvre than many owners expect.

The four factory fitments

On 18-inch wheels, the rim is 18 x 8.5J with a 35.5 mm offset and takes a 235/55R18 tyre. On 19-inch wheels, the rim grows to 19 x 9.5J with a 45 mm offset and a 255/45R19 tyre. The 20-inch keeps the same width, 20 x 9.5J with a 45 mm offset, and uses a 255/40R20 tyre.

The 21-inch is the odd one out. The front uses a 21 x 9.5J rim with a 40 mm offset and a 255/35R21 tyre, the rear a 21 x 10.5J rim with a 52 mm offset and a 275/35R21 tyre source. That difference between the axles is what makes it a staggered fitment.

Diameter	Position	Rim	Offset	Tyre	Load index (min.)	Speed index (min.)
18”	Front/rear	18 x 8.5J	35.5 mm	235/55R18	104 XL	H
19”	Front/rear	19 x 9.5J	45 mm	255/45R19	104 XL	H
20”	Front/rear	20 x 9.5J	45 mm	255/40R20	101 XL or 104 XL	H
21”	Front	21 x 9.5J	40 mm	255/35R21	98 XL	W
21”	Rear	21 x 10.5J	52 mm	275/35R21	103 XL	W

Two more values apply every time a wheel comes off: lug nut torque of 175 Nm and a lug nut socket size of 21 mm.

Reading the ratings on the tyre

The manual also gives the minimum ratings to respect, and they vary by fitment. The 18 and 19-inch tyres need a load index of at least 104 XL and speed index H. The 20-inch accepts 101 XL or 104 XL, still with speed index H. The 21-inch goes higher: speed index W, with 98 XL at the front and 103 XL at the rear source.

The XL is not decoration. The manual explains that it stands for Extra Load, as opposed to Standard Load, and asks you to use tyres of the same load range when replacing them. It adds that if you tow with snow tyres, they must have the same load range as the tyres the car came with.

The speed rating works the same way. The manual lists what the letters mean, H being 210 km/h and W 270 km/h, and warns never to exceed the speed rating of your tyres source. For the 21-inch fitment, it notes that above 235 km/h front and rear pressures must be at least 44 psi for the car to reach its top speed of 250 km/h.

What to check before you buy

The manual’s rule is short and absolute: for your safety, use only tyres and wheels that match the original specification, because anything else can affect how the tyre pressure monitoring system works source.

Three checks are therefore enough before ordering. The full size, rim and tyre, must match one of the rows in the factory table. The load and speed ratings must be at least equal to the originals. And the offset must be respected, otherwise the track width and clearances change. When you swap wheels, the manual also asks you to update the wheel configuration under Controls > Service > Wheel & Tire > Wheels so the car learns the new set.

One last detail concerns fitting. Some Model Y tyres are asymmetric: their sidewall is marked OUTSIDE and must face outwards. The manual warns that road holding is seriously impaired if they are mounted the wrong way round source. When choosing wheels compatible with Model Y, the row of the table for your diameter is your specification sheet.