India's Funniest Spare Wheels Belong To The Tata Harrier.EV And Mahindra XEV 9e: Proof
The Mahindra XEV 9e and Tata Harrier.EV currently have a strong rivalry with each other. Both manage to impress with their design, equipment levels, powertrain tech and abilities. Interestingly, both the XEV 9e and Harrier.EV have spare wheels that are hilarious to look at! Both come with space-saver wheels, which look funny on these vehicles, considering the overall proportions and designs.
Images of a Harrier.EV and Mahindra XEV 9e running on their spare wheels have now surfaced online. It shows the respective space-saver wheels installed on both EVs. The Harrier.EV comes with a 155 / 90 R18 space-saver wheel. The XEV, on the other hand, has a slimmer 135 mm unit!
The BE6 also comes with the same 135mm unit. Soon after the electric SUVs went on sale, a video had surfaced, showing a BE6 riding on the slim spare wheel, entering a tyre shop.
Let's first talk about the actual tyre sizes on the XEV and the electric Harrier. The Harrier.EV comes with both 18-inch and 19-inch wheels. The former can be found on the Adventure trim while the 19-inchers can be had on the Fearless+ and Empowered trims. 245/60 R18 tyres come on the 18-inch wheels while the 19-inch rims have 245/55 R19 rubber. Similarly, the XEV 9e comes with both 19-inch and 20-inch wheels. The larger of these, is shod with 245/50 R20 rubber.
Just for the uninitiated, 245/55 R19 is a way of specifying tyre size. It is, in fact, the Eurometric system. The 245 in this case denotes the tyre's width. The second number- 55- stands for a percentage, and indicates the height of the sidewall. 245/55 means that the tyre is 245mm wide with a sidewall height that amounts to 55% of its total width.
Now, let's revisit the spare tyres of both Harrier.EV and the XEV 9e. The electric Harrier's spare tyre has a width of 155mm and the XEV's spare wheel has an even lower 135 mm! Both are as awkward to look at, as the usable leg room in India's favourite budget airline!
What Are Space Saver Spare Wheels?
These slim wheels do look awkward, considering the overall dimensions, nature and performance abilities of these vehicles. But they aren't meant to be used extensively!
Space-saver tyres, are often called 'donuts'. They are sleek, lightweight and much less expensive than full-size sparewheels (for perspective, the XEV's tyre has a price of over Rs 12,000!). Cost-cutting is one big reason that makes manufacturers go for these, instead of full-size wheels. On EVs like the Harrier.EV and XEV 9e, a full-size spare wheel can take up much space inside the boot, and make the floor stand high. Space-savers help in optimising this well.
Unlike regular tyres, space savers cannot be used extensively. They generally last for 100-110 kilometers, and come with a top-speed of 80 kph. Both the XEV and Harrier.EV are fast electric SUVs. One needs to be extra careful while driving on space-saver wheels.
If you tend to speed over 80 kph when these are in use, the vehicle's drivetrain could take damages. The tread on space-saver wheels is usually much less than that on regular wheels.
How To Use Space Saver Wheels The Right Way?
One should think of these as strict intermediates. Use them only if you are stranded mid-way and have to get the car to the nearest tyre shop for a full repair/replacement. Also, take special care to stick to the recommended speed limits.