Why is a bigger car tire way more expensive than a smaller tire?

Question

Why is a 19" car tire way more expensive than a 16" tire? If you compare a 225/45/19 with a 215/65/16 they are double the price even though they have the exact same outer diameter.

One possible answer is the smaller sidewalls need to be more stiff but a 225/55/17 is still more expensive than a 215/65/16. It would need marginally stiffer sidewalls and will almost require equal amount of material.

I was also wondering what advantage will a 19" tire offer as compared to a 16" tire? Given that they have an almost identical outer diameter they should wear out at the exact same rate. The only thing that comes to mind are better looks.

See the attached image for comparison of all three sizes

Answer 1

The economy of scale - the market for 16” tires is larger than that of 17” cf 18” cf 19”.

Answer 2

While there is an element of truth in that pricing will be steered by demand, in reality it's all about structure, strength and reinforcing. The design and build of a lower profile tire requires significantly more strength in some areas, such as the side wall, as they don't have as much rubber (and pressurised air inside) to absorb impacts before the wheel is hit - so the reinforcing wire in the sidewall has to be significantly stiffer and stronger.

Consequently, cornering then can cause greater shear along the footprint in contact with the road, so that may also require extra lamination or reinforcing. The increased tread movement may also lead to greater temperatures, so different rubber compounds may be needed.