Comment by speleding
9 hours ago
If the vehicle is battery operated there is no longer a need to use metal wheels. Something like ABS, nylon or rubber probably results in less wear and noise. (Perhaps at the cost of a bit more dust from braking though)
Metal wheels have significantly reduced friction, switching to something like a car tire would require much more frequent tire replacements and would have a lot more issues. Steel on steel is the way to go for fixed-route vehicles if possible.