Here’s what you’ll learn reading this story.
Unplugged Performance recently claimed that its latest “Road Warrior” wheel is indestructible.
The wheels are forged from aerospace-grade 6061-T6 aluminum, making them exceptionally strong, lightweight, and durable.
The Road Warriors will range from $2,795 - $2,995 depending on your vehicle, and come with a removable curb guard.
Let’s face it, we’ve all curbed a wheel at some point while driving (an especially painful experience for those of us with aftermarket wheels). However, Unplugged Performance, a high-performance tuning company that makes go-fast parts for Teslas, is claiming that its latest “Road Warrior” wheels are indestructible. Available for the Model 3 and Model Y, Unplugged Performance feels so confident in its engineering that it’s offering a free lifetime replacement promotion.
While brute strength is the Road Warriors’ main calling card, it has another trick up its sleeve—a removable “curb guard” to protect the most vulnerable outer extremity, where the wheel and tire meet. Now, curb guards are nothing new, but these are made from metal instead of plastic, helping them blend in with the wheel. They’re not all that expensive either, at $80 for a two-pack.
“Indestructible” Engineering
The Road Warriors are forged from aerospace-grade 6061-T6 aluminum, unlike the standard Tesla wheels, which are that are cast from lower-grade aluminum. The more advanced forging manufacturing process makes them much stronger, thanks to its ability to minimize the porosity of the material being worked with. Forged wheels are also significantly lighter than cast wheels (even though that may sound counterintuitive to some), but Unplugged is certain that hasn’t affected their product’s toughness. They claim the Road Warrior carries a load rating of 950 kilograms (2094.39 pounds), making it the strongest aftermarket option for Tesla customers.
The wheels retain an aerodisc profile around their circumference, which was no accident, as Unplugged claims the structurally integrated disc minimizes air turbulence around the wheel to reduce drag. In fact, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) data shows that the Road Warriors very nearly matched Tesla’s most aerodynamic 18-inch “Photon” aero cover wheel, with a drag coefficient (Cd) just.010 higher.
All of this technology is neat, but it comes at a cost—these wheels range from $2,795 to $2,995 for a set of four.
Designed For Robotaxi
We were a little surprised to see Unplugged claim that beyond being designed for car enthusiasts, these sporty-looking rims were intended for taxis and fleet vehicles. But reading their promotional materials, it makes marginally more sense. Think about it: Should Tesla’s Robotaxi actually become driverless one day, there’s no expectation for the passenger to change a flat tire. That’s where an indestructible wheel pays for itself.
Easy Upgrade
Conveniently, the Road Warriors are designed to accommodate the OEM tires and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) that your Model 3 or Model Y came with. This eliminates the need to spend extra money on a new set of tires, and helps retain the ride comfort, handling, and efficiency that Tesla spent millions to optimize.
While we admire the engineering that’s gone into these wheels, we doubt many fleet managers will opt to swap in Road Warriors, given the nearly $3,000 price tag for a set of four. The only high-performance environment where we see these wheels being widely adopted is police fleets, where they have been tested by Unplugged. For fleet use, implementing a service interval that replaces the standard wheels and tires before they break is much more practical.
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