The specialized hardware Tesla is engineering for its autonomous ride-hailing ambitions is starting to make its way through official regulatory channels. While factory teams work hard on scaling Cybercab production, a recently published patent gives us a closer look at the purpose-built robotaxi’s wheel design.
Visual Design in the Patent Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office published patent number US-D1130251-S last week, which officially protects the ornamental design of the Tesla Cybercab’s wheels. While the design patent doesn’t give away much in terms of technical specs, it reinforces the tire design and wheel configuration we’ve seen in public so far.
The patented wheel design is defined by a flat, gold hubcap that snaps over the rim, closing off air pockets to maximize aerodynamic efficiency. Aesthetics may have factored into that decision as well, with Tesla likely using these covers to mask the chunky tire profile and unique wheel setup.
A Closer Look at the Gold Wheel Covers
A recent X post from @Tslachan featured a closer inspection of these wheel covers to show how they are built, sharing a photo where the gold disc was being pulled away from the wheel rim. The outer edge of the cover appears to be made from a flexible rubber material that runs flush against the stock Continental tire’s sidewall. Using flexible rubber prevents the cover from eating into the rubber during tire flex, as a harder material would add to the friction wear. You can even see where a bit of black tire material has rubbed off onto the inside of the shield.
Meanwhile, the central part of the cover that resides over the rim looks to be made out of a harder material, possibly an automotive-grade plastic like ABS or polypropylene.
An Unprecedented FWD Layout
The physical measurements of the Cybercab’s wheels and its drive configuration represent an anomaly for the automotive sector. The front axle rides on 215/60 R18 tires, while the rear pushes up to a massive 21-inch wheel wrapped in a tall 225/60 R21 truck-sized tire, and to top it all off, the vehicle is front-wheel drive (FWD).
This combination creates a unique engineering layout. According to a technical analysis by longtime Tesla owner @AlexEdgerton, the Cybercab is the world’s first FWD vehicle to have a staggered wheel setup. Some vehicles have a reverse stagger from the factory, with wider fronts, to combat understeer, and it’s also a popular mod for FWD track cars, but there aren’t any production FWD cars with larger rears.
The decision to go front-wheel drive is a complete departure from Tesla’s past platforms, but it aligns rather well with utility fleet parameters. "Unlike traditional rear staggered set ups that give the drive wheels extra traction, aerodynamics and cost-per-mile override traditional performance logic on the Cybercab," noted Edgerton. "It features a heavily tapered teardrop shape, which is the most efficient for reducing drag."
Adding to this, the smaller front tires will result in better steering freedom, while the massive 32-inch rear tires will not only make the ride more comfortable by better absorbing bumps and potholes but also spin fewer times per mile to prolong tire life.
Scaling Production for the Robotaxi Network
This unique wheel architecture is just one of many special traits making its way to Cybercab production lines. Others include larger front-facing windshield cameras to power Full Self-Driving, Tesla’s first interior trunk camera to keep an eye on riders’ luggage, and a cabin entirely free of a steering wheel or pedals.
The regulatory pathway for driverless deployment is already clearing up, especially after NHTSA recently dropped brake pedal requirements for autonomous vehicles. Tesla has already started Cybercab mass production at Giga Texas, where assembly lines are churning out a mix of steering wheel-less Cybercabs and units with manual controls as a commercial launch on Tesla’s Robotaxi network draws closer.
