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In: Engineering
When talking about the diameter or the tire, it’s easier to think about bicycles. It takes a lot of effort to pedal a BMX bike for a long distance, whereas a bike with 28-29″ wheels is much easier.
Changing the rolling friction of each wheel as the car travels changes fuel economy. Leaving everything else the same, if you put wider tyres on then you’ve got a larger patch of contact between the tyres and the road, which increases resistance. If you increase the radius of the tyre, that also changes rolling resistance.
Increased rolling friction results in higher fuel consumption, as you’ve got to burn fuel to overcome that friction before the fuel actually drives you anywhere.
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