Michelin’s airless tires finally arrive on the roads

Today, everything is done to limit pollution from the automotive industry. In addition to the prohibition in 2035 of the sale of thermal cars in Europe, important work is done on engines, more and more virtuous thanks to innovations such as synthetic fuel. But many other aspects must be taken into account. Starting with tires, whose wear and tear would also be more polluting than exhaust gases as said by a study of analytics emissions. Moreover, their recycling is also energy -consuming, as well as their production.

Michelin -free tire: in France, but not for you

The Michelin Uptis tire finally arrives in France for open road phases open and visible for the general public. But do not expect to buy it before the end of the decade.

Will we still be able to make the breakdown of its half after 2030, when turbos, clutches, injectors, particle filters will start to be a little rarer in concession and on the road ? There would be the stroke of the punctured tire, but there too, the technology would obviously want to make us escape this inconvenience. Michelin has been testing her revolutionary tire lamellar for a few months now. A technical solution put to the automobile Magazine long before the other, in 2022. Since then, Michelin has put his tire to DHL at the other end of the planet in the delivery service in Singapore. But Uptis finally entered his land.

La Poste more flat, and always swollen

It is therefore the La Poste group which has the premiere of Uptis in France. The pricing postal delivery services will test the air without air in the Hauts de France until the end of 2024. Forty light utilities will roll on these new kinds. A return of the precious field for Michelin who had already warned last year: The Uptis tire will not see the light of day in marketing for the general public before the end of the decade. And remember that Michelin is not alone on this technology since Goodyear also works on a similar tire. The two companies also compete on future “sustainable” tires in recycled materials.

Michelin’s airless tires finally arrive on the roads

For several years, Michelin and Goodyear have been fierce battle, the object of which is none other than the development of airless tires. And for the time being, it is the French equipment supplier who seems to have taken a little ahead with his Uptis who land on the roads.

Today, everything is done to limit pollution from the automotive industry. In addition to the prohibition in 2035 of the sale of thermal cars in Europe, important work is done on engines, more and more virtuous thanks to innovations such as synthetic fuel. But many other aspects must be taken into account. Starting with tires, whose wear and tear would also be more polluting than exhaust gases as said by a study of analytics emissions. Moreover, their recycling is also energy -consuming, as well as their production.

A more virtuous solution

Fortunately, there is a means of reducing the ecological impact of these elements, however essential. This involves in particular The development of airless tires. While 20 % of gums are currently destroyed prematurely due to punctures and other defects, that solution, according to Michelin, would save 200 million tires per year, the equivalent of 2 million tonnes of materials. According to the Ministry of Ecological Transition, 59 million tires are produced each year in France.

Living a hard war with Goodyear, the French equipment supplier already markets a Air -free system dedicated to bicycles, called X tweel. But as the company announced a marketing of its Uptis (Unique PununionProof Tire System) Designed for use in the automotive industry between 2025 and 2028, the first copies have just arrived on the roads.

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Indeed, Michelin recently signed a partnership with DHL, In order to provide Uptis air -free tires to the carrier’s fleet as part of an experiment that takes place in Singapore. This pilot program started on January 10 with a few trucks, to reach The 50 vans equipped by the end of 2023. The equipment supplier specifies that these life -size tests began a year in advance compared to the initial program.

These trucks will then be responsible for making deliveries of the last kilometer, and will then help the company finish the development of its air tires. As a reminder, he started in 2005, when the realization of these sixteen years work was formalized in 2021, then equipping a mini cooper is 100 % electric.

A clever and more ecological idea

With this experiment in real conditions, Michelin then took a good lead against his rival, Goodyear. The company also develops its own air without air, installed for the first time in 2021 on a Tesla Model 3.

The two solutions have a similar operation, since they are made up ofA structure without an air chamber, which therefore requires no filling and which cannot be pierced. The properties would then be identical to those of a standard tire, as well as their effectiveness. The air is then simply replaced by an innovative structure to support the weight of the vehicle while guaranteeing comfort and safety.

On the other hand, it will most likely take specific wheels to install these tires, but nothing has yet been detailed on this subject. Developed in partnership with General Motors, the Michelin Uptis, as is the Goodyear solution offer many advantages. Because if they cost more to produce, and they will therefore be logically more expensive to buy, their use should be more economical.

This will benefit in particular the fleets of companies like DHL, which could then make significant savings by reducing punctures and therefore the frequency of tire replacement. Not to mention the waste thus avoided, as well as Safety concerns related to poor pressure.

Where the American manufacturer is distinguished from its French rival, it is by the massive use of recycled materials, since its innovative eraser is 90 % composed, against only 45 % for Michelin. But beware, these are two cases of conventional tires, using air.

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Air and indestructible tires: a small revolution will be tested by La Poste vehicles

Michelin has been testing its air without air on the post office utilities since Tuesday, prelude to marketing that may be waiting for a long time.

It is through the factor’s van that the revolution arrives: for the first time in Europe, up to forty yellow van will test over two years of Michelin air tires, that their very design makes it indestructible. A similar test was launched with DHL in January in Singapore.

The first three Citroën equipped with “Uptis” tires were enthroned Tuesday in front of the Roost-Warendin Tri Center, near Douai (North of France).

Aluminum and glass fibers

The aluminum wheel and the strip of rubber ride remain rather classic, but between them slide 64 black and curved “fins”. These fins, make a mixture of fiberies of glass and resin fibers, must do as well as air pressure in terms of comfort, heat resistance and shocks. The idea is also by avoiding under-inflation, these tires last longer.

“It’s good for safety, the environment and our performance,” said Philippe Dorge, Deputy Managing Director of La Poste. “It doesn’t change anything, the sensations are even a little better,” says Thomas Thant, who delivers parcels near Lille. “We no longer care about punctures or pressure”, and these tires are not no longer noisier than others, he says. The prototypes mounted by post have been made to a few thousand copies by Michelin in his Greenville factory. This American factory already manufactures tweel, an airless tire launched in 2004 for off -road and low -speed uses, for large lawn mowers or leisure vehicles.

Other brands instantly

Bibendum is not the only one who wants to reinvent the wheel. In May 2022, Goodyear presented its version of the airless tire, making the press tested a Tesla equipped with its “Nextrek”. The American manufacturer also wants to test it on delivery vehicles, especially autonomous, and aims for production in series by 2030. The American start-up Smart takes its side on a memory metal developed by NASA for its March exploration vehicle. Smart Tire works with the Korean manufacturer Hyundai, but first plans to launch an indestructible bicycle tire, sold about 150 dollars from the end of 2023. Michelin also targets 2030 for the start of marketing, and would also like this tire to be more ecological, and connected.

Police and the army interested ?

“There is a lot of progress to make,” explains Bruno de Feraudy, who runs the line of new car tires from the French manufacturer. Uptis’ performance is already the same as those of a Michelin tire “all seasons”, in braking as well as rolling resistance, assures the manufacturer. The test with La Poste, then with other customers, will allow them to experience them over millions of kilometers. But it will then be necessary to approve these tires, produce them in the hundreds of existing sizes and above all equip the garages to maintain them.

Auto-Moto Conso-Distribution Economie

Police and army could be among the first customers of these indestructible tires: French police have already tested them at high speed, blows Michelin, just as soldiers had already tested Tweel.