Michelin has been experimenting with airless tires for many years with an eye on the use of electric vehicles. While they are not yet production-ready, executives believe they could be suitable for self-driving vehicles and law enforcement.
Michelin senior vice president Bruno de Feraudy said in a recently published interview with Forbes that European police forces have expressed an interest in airless tires because, unlike Like conventional pneumatic tires, they cannot be fired in car chases. CD driverwhere de Feraudy also confirmed that Michelin tested their Uptis airless tires at speeds up to 130 mph taking into account police usage.
Prototype GM airless tire, Michelin Uptis
Michelin CEO Florent Menegaux told The Drive that airless tires will likely be limited to “certain types of applications,” but that could also include autonomous vehicles. Again, the main advantage is avoiding punctures, so passengers don’t have to go out and change tires.
In the same interview, Menegaux said Michelin has been in talks with Tesla about testing its Uptis tires and has also discussed it with General Motors. Although not mentioned in this interview, the airless tire could match the higher performance and durability requirements that Michelin is working with Hyundai. In 2022, the two companies announced a partnership to develop Environmentally friendly EV tires.
Prototype GM airless tire, Michelin Uptis
Michelin’s current design for airless tires derives from the Uptis Protype it introduced in 2019, indicating that it can be offered in EV shortly after 2024 (and in the meantime, tested on the Bolt EV). However, the executives interviewed by The Drive did not confirm a 2024 launch date.
Other companies have also looked at airless tires; Toyota and Sumitomo showed off a fuel cell concept with an airless tire in 2017. However, while the airless tire has potential benefits, as well as providing a futuristic feel, several innovations are in the near future. may also have to address growing concerns about microplastic pollution from tires.
