I plan to buy one of the new Primes, either the SE or XSE. I want the mileage of the SE and the features of the XSE. I thought if I bought the XSE and replaced the 19" wheels and tires with 17", it might get the same mileage as the SE. Is it possible to change wheels and tires like this? And add sportier 17" wheel covers? How much will such a change impact mileage? Will it get the same mileage as the SE, or will the weight of the other features prevent this? What else besides weight difference (55 pound difference) might impact mileage?
Let's assume tire diameter is the same, in which case we are trading away aluminum for rubber and air. The wheels will weigh less and have less rotational inertia, they spin easier. Buying the lightest aftermarket wheels you can afford with tires of the same circumference as your original tires. Forged wheel tend to be lighter than cast wheels but much more expensive. Since you want excellent milage, low rolling resistance tires will be your choice.
Could the 2" wheel/tire difference (19" versus 17") fully account for the 55 pound vehicle weight difference between the SE and XSE?
idk if replacement of 19" with 17" has been determined to be a possibility yet. if it is, yes, that would be most of the mileage. a small amount might be lost to extra weight of the package accessories. it also depends on which 17" wheels and tires you use. idk if we know the weights of the oem wheels and tires yet. i believe there is a wheel thread here which might have some answers, and you can check danny's thread to see if he learned anything in his inspection of the vehicle and chat with the lead engineer
For a small efficiency gain, you will be spending a lot on a new set of wheels and tires. Unless you already have wheels and tires to use or you can trade 19" for 17", it may take a long time to recoup the cost. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
