(Paris) Michelin airless tires are now being tested in real conditions on DHL delivery vans in Singapore, the two groups announced on Tuesday.
The first vans equipped with these tires began circulating in the city-state on Tuesday, the two companies said in a press release. Around 50 delivery vehicles should be equipped with Michelin Uptis by the end of the year, they add.
Michelin, like its competitors Goodyear or Bridgestone, considers that the tire sector could be revolutionized in the medium term by airless tires, puncture-proof even on the worst surfaces, and maintenance-free.
Generally, this type of tire consists of a thin layer of rubber bonded to a flexible structure (rubber and resin for the Michelin Uptis).
This technology, still in its infancy, would make it possible to use a single structure over the life of a car, recycle it and save material by “retreading” this thin layer of rubber, as is already done for tires of heavy.
Michelin has established itself as a precursor with the “Tweel”, an airless model fitted to industrial mowers and machinery used on demolition sites. But the requirements of a car on the road (resistance at high speed, longevity, comfort, silence, cost) still seemed insurmountable a few years ago.
Michelin unveiled the Uptis (Unique Puncture-proof Tire System) in 2019 and plans to market it for production cars in 2024.