2020-2024 Tesla Model Y 21" OEM Tire Replacement Guide

The 21” Überturbine wheel is exclusive to the Model Y Performance trim. It runs a staggered fitment of 255/35R21 front, 275/35R21 rear. The low profile tires on both axles are tuned for maximum cornering stiffness and the sharpest steering response of any Model Y wheel package. This guide covers what came from the factory, what matters when replacing them, and what to consider if you want to change performance categories. For 19” Gemini wheels see the 19” guide. For 20” Induction wheels see the 20” guide.

OEM Wheel and Tire Specs

The 21” Überturbine uses a staggered tire setup on a matching staggered wheel. Tesla initially fitted these wheels exclusively with summer performance Pirelli P Zero (PZ4) from the factory, with acoustic foam liner and T0 or T1 Tesla designation throughout the production run. In late 2021, the Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 became standard equipment with the Hankook iON evo AS SUV also making an appearance on some factory builds. Up until early 2026, the Überturbine was also available in a wheel and winter tire package equipped with Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 tires. The rear tires in Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 are currently unavailable in factory sizes with PNCS foam, though available as N0 Porsche without foam, while the front sizes are currently only available with foam.

The T0 marking indicates the tire has been tested and certified against Tesla’s noise, ride, and range standards, and that the tire manufacturer paid for that certification. You do not need a T0 tire to replace your existing tires.

Before You Buy

Load index. Use XL-rated tires with a minimum 98 load index front and rear. The factory spec is 98Y XL. Standard Load tires in 255/35R21 and 275/35R21 carry an insufficient load index for the weight of the Model Y. All tires in this guide are XL-rated.

Acoustic foam liner. The 35-series profile of the correct sized tires leaves almost nothing in the way of sidewall to absorb road imperfections. Of all three Model Y wheel packages, the Überturbine makes the strongest case for an acoustic tire. The OEM Pirelli P Zero came with PNCS foam from the factory on both axles. Look for tires labeled “Acoustic” (Michelin), “PNCS” (Pirelli), or “ContiSilent” (Continental) if road noise matters to you. Many owners report being able to do without acoustic foam.

Staggered fitment = no rotation. The 255/35R21 front and 275/35R21 rear sizes mean these tires cannot be rotated. Rear tires will wear faster than fronts. When the rears wear out, replace the rear axle pair independently. When buying tires, you need to verify your chosen model is available in both 255/35R21 and 275/35R21. All tire tables in this guide are filtered to only show models available in both sizes. Some owners choose to run a slightly wider tire on each axle for marginally better handling and wheel protection at the sacrifice of more rolling resistance. A common alternate stagger is 265/35R21 front and 285/35R21 rear.

Summer vs. all-season. The factory spec on the Model Y Performance was initially a summer max-performance tire, and this wheel was originally designed around that use case. Tesla later decided to equip the Model Y Performance with ultra high performance all-season tires, which offer year-round usability at the cost of handling sharpness and increased road noise. Grand touring all-season tires technically fit but may feel mismatched on a Model Y Performance. The soft ride character of a Grand Touring tire and the near-zero sidewall of a 35-series work against each other.

Winter use. Do not run the Überturbine wheels with summer tires in winter. A common choice is a second set of 19” wheels with dedicated winter tires. See our 19” tire guide for sizing and visit TireRack for winter wheel packages. Dedicated winter tires in the factory size combination are limited and expensive, and the non-rotatable stagger means you are absorbing the full cost of rear wear without the ability to balance it.

TPMS. The Model Y uses direct TPMS with sensors integrated into the valve stem assembly. When your tires are swapped, the valve stem and sensor stay in the wheel — the installer demounts the old tire, mounts the new one, and the sensor is never disturbed. Your shop may charge a small fee to inspect or replace the valve stem seal, which is standard practice and worth doing. What you should not pay for is a new sensor itself on a standard tire replacement. After the swap, recalibrate via Controls > Service > TPMS Calibration on the touchscreen.

Summer Performance

The Pirelli P Zero is summer performance rubber, and this is the natural category for the 21” Überturbine. Summer tires deliver meaningfully better dry and wet grip than any all-season, sharper turn-in, and shorter braking distances. The tradeoff is that they must not be used in temperatures below 40°F.

The Michelin Pilot Sport EV is available with acoustic foam, making it a strong foam-lined option for Performance owners who want to improve on the OEM noise profile. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S is a benchmark max performance summer tire, also available with acoustic liner in several configurations. Summer tire selection is relatively small for the OEM sizes.

Ultra High Performance All-Season

If you want to retain serious handling capability while gaining year-round usability, ultra high performance all-season is the right move. These are sharper than grand touring all-seasons and will manage light snow. They are not true winter tires, but they eliminate the need for seasonal swaps in relatively mild climates.

Grand Touring All-Season

Grand touring all-season selection in Model Y Performance sizes is extremely narrow. These tires prioritize longevity, quiet running, and winter confidence over handling sharpness, which makes them a difficult fit for a Performance trim wheel designed around cornering stiffness. If you are converting the Überturbine to a daily driver all-season setup, the option exists, but most Überturbine owners will be better served by the UHPAS category above or with a summer tire and a separate dedicated winter wheel and tire combination.

Winter

For owners in climates with real winters, the best answer is a dedicated seasonal swap, and the correct wheel for that swap is not the Überturbine. Drop to 19” wheels with dedicated winter tires. The stopping distance difference between a dedicated winter tire and an all-season on ice is significant, and the 35-series staggered profile makes this worse: almost no snow penetration depth on either axle, plus an inability to rotate tires means you absorb the full cost of accelerated rear wear on a set of tires that are already expensive.

See our 19” tire guide for winter sizing and visit TireRack for 19" winter wheel packages.

If you are absolutely committed to running winter tires on the Überturbine wheels, performance winter tires are available.

Performance Winter and Snow

Tesla’s OEM winter package for the Performance trim featured the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 with PNCS foam and T0 designation. The rear OEM tires have spotty availability. As of publishing, Tesla has removed the Überturbine winter option from their accessory store.

Mounting and Installation

A few reminders for the Model Y Performance:

• TPMS sensors stay in the wheel. The valve stem-integrated sensors are not disturbed during a tire swap. Do not pay for new sensors — a valve stem seal inspection or replacement is normal, a new sensor is not.
• Recalibrate TPMS after the swap via the touchscreen: Controls > Service > TPMS Calibration.
• Tires cannot be rotated. The staggered 255/35R21 front and 275/35R21 rear fitment means no front-to-rear rotation is possible. Replace each axle pair independently when worn.
• Lug nut torque spec: 129 lb-ft. Confirm your installer knows the torque spec for your Model Y and has properly torqued all lug nuts.