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There are a lot of things in life that we keep safely tucked away that we hope we’ll never need to use. Our smoke alarms, for instance, or our emergency funds. These are the very things that we can’t neglect, though, because when we need them, we really, really need them. Another solid example for drivers is a spare tire. Are you one of those unfortunate souls who has been stuck on an unfamiliar road late at night while waiting for your mechanic to hook you up with a spare? This topic is sure to strike a real chord with you, then. 

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In November 2023, the UK’s RAC reported that it had reviewed “equipment lists of more than 300 car models across 28 brands — everything from the smallest superminis to the largest 4x4s,” and what did the British auto servicing brand discover? Less than 3% of those models were sold new with a spare wheel included in the price. 

For the manufacturer, of course, there’s a money-saving benefit to limiting production of spares, while there are also some performance-related reasons to dispense with them. They add weight when kept in the back, and because they aren’t always offered as full-size spares, they can limit performance while being driven on. As they’re something of a last resort, drivers may not be inclined to use them anyway, which also limits the call for them. There are also more lightweight and convenient approaches to dealing with a flat, which is a further factor in the reduction of spare tires. 

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If you were a fan of the fearsome muscle cars of the mid-to-late twentieth century, you surely still lament the fact that these mighty models became increasingly less practical, and then all but impossible to drive as a result of such paradigm shifts as the Clean Air Act. Enacted in 1970, the EPA reports that “this legislation authorized the development of comprehensive federal and state regulations to limit emissions from both stationary (industrial) sources and mobile sources,” and there weren’t many mobile sources more majestic than the Dodge Charger R/T (pictured here) and its kind. Fuel increasingly had to be cleaner, engines needed to be more efficient and generally smaller, and the trend for lighter, more practical models began.

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 As important as a spare tire can be, there’s no getting around the fact that it can add considerable weight to a vehicle: 44 pounds (20 kg) or so depending on the type of vehicle. This complicates the matter of hitting eco-friendlier targets. This could be seen as an advantage of the trend away from spare tires, having a potential positive effect on a vehicle’s fuel economy, but the benefits of this compared to the risks associated with driving without a spare tire are a matter for the individual driver to decide on. 

After all, spares can certainly be hefty and unwieldy to work with at the roadside. Another part of the reasoning is that lots of drivers don’t use them, which means they’re often dead weight. Additionally, the vehicle not only has to store the wheel itself, but also the means to actually use it should the need arise. The jack alone can be quite the bulky accessory.

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It’s also important to note that EVs and hybrids are becoming increasingly popular. Cox Automotive notes that 1.3 million EVs were sold in the United States in 2024. The thing about such vehicles, though, is that while they don’t have a bulky ICE, their batteries typically make them heavier than their gas or diesel counterparts. That main battery is the most crucial, largest, and weightiest component, and in order to accommodate it, space comes at a real premium in an electric vehicle.

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As a result, seemingly extraneous features, such as spare tires, can become even more of a rarity. As ArtCenter College of Design executive director of transportation systems and design, Geoff Wardle, put it to the Los Angeles Times in August 2023, “batteries, electrical systems control units or hydrogen tanks … encroach into the traditional places that spare tires are found: under the trunk floor.”

With these vehicles being heavier than their gas-powered alternatives, the weight added by a spare tire may be more of a concern. The difference may not be as stark as you might expect, though, depending on the make and model: The electric Genesis G80, for example, weighs approximately 15% more than its ICE equivalent. Nonetheless, it’s one contributing factor to bear in mind. According to the Los Angeles Times, a query about EV spare tires prompted a response from Honda claiming that “if the vehicle is in an accident, the spare tire can cause damage to the electric battery which could cause a failure in the battery.” Perhaps this explains Tesla’s stance on spare tires.

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With the knowledge that their new vehicle purchase isn’t likely to come with a spare tire, drivers can take comfort in the fact that their absence doesn’t mean that they’re entirely without options. Run-flat tires are a common solution. Well, more of a bandage than a solution. Run-flats aren’t exactly throwaway, but they won’t resolve your issue for the long term. Michelin reports that these are the standard alternative over full spares for up to around 14% of new vehicles, but warns that, after one has suffered a puncture, it can typically only be driven on for a maximum of around 50 miles before losing its crucial “fins,” small raised sections in the sidewall that directs air and redistributes heat that would otherwise destroy the rubber.

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The wonderfully named donut spares can be substituted as space-saving measures, too, and driving performance on them may surprise drivers. As Ford Vehicle Dynamics Team’s Jamie Cullen told Car And Driver in 2017, they’re intended to “come as close to the standard tire’s performance and response as possible. Mini spares use an aggressive compound and minimum tread depth to achieve those results.” Spares are not designed to be driven on for long, though, as noted.

Puncture kits are another space and cost-saving solution manufacturers offer, but there are certain jobs that a more humble repair kit just isn’t equipped for. As Toyota Magazine UK states, such a set “shouldn’t be used if the puncture is more than 4mm in diameter, if the wheel rim has been damaged, or if the tyre has been flat or running at low pressure for a prolonged period.”

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In the auto industry, it should always be driver, passenger, and pedestrian safety first and foremost. Unfortunately, there are always complicating factors to this. Whichever angle you consider it from, limiting access to spare tires leaves vehicles more vulnerable on the roads. This is far from new information. In November 2015, the Los Angeles Times quoted managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair at AAA, John Nielsen, as making the critical point: “AAA responds to more than 4 million calls for flat tire assistance annually,” noting that “Flat tires are not a disappearing problem, but spare tires are.”

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This both increases the strain on services such as AAA providing emergency support and makes drivers more reliant upon those services. When we need a spare, after all, it often tends to happen with no notice at the least convenient moment.

The unfortunate fact is a driver can never be sure what kind of eventuality they might come across. When a tire issue arises, you might get away with it relatively lightly with only minor damage, or you might not. All you can do is hope that the interim measure available to you gets you to where you need to be, or that a timely servicing is in the offing. In any case, it’s always best to keep some essential items with you in your car in case of a flat.