how does using smaller tyres on a car improve it’s range/fuel efficiency?

Question

From my theoretical understanding shouldn’t larger tyres give you more range? My reasoning being that larger tyres = more distance travelled in a single rotation.

In: 1

Answer 1

Think about how much footprint ( “patch”) a tire has on the ground. If that footprint is more, there will be more friction loss. But with too little friction you lose traction.

Here’s an ELI15 . Not great but passable:

http://ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/211_fall2013.web.dir/connor_mattson/physics.html