Pneumatic tyre（Michelin Uptis）-a revolutionary innovation for the future

Pneumatic tyre Michelin Uptis -a revolutionary innovation for the future

With the continuous progress of the automotive industry, tires, as an important part of the car, are also constantly innovating and evolving. As the only component in direct contact with the ground, the safety of the tire is of Paramount importance to the driver. In order to solve the potential safety hazards of inflatable tire such as punctured tires, non-inflatable tires came into being. Although non-inflatable tires are not yet widely used in the mass market, Michelin’s Uptis non-inflatable tires have made breakthrough progress and are rapidly moving towards commercialization.

As early as 2005, Michelin began working on non-inflatable tires and launched a concept product called “Tweel”. However, due to some problems with early non-inflatable tires, this concept has not been widely recognized by the market. Initially, Michelin applied non-inflatable tires to specific areas such as lawn mowers. However, through continuous technical exploration and research, Michelin has succeeded in making the non-inflatable tire technology mature and reliable.

According to Michelin’s statistics, the use of incorrect tire pressure and air leakage can lead to 20% of tires prematurely scrapped, and about 200 million tires are wasted every year. In order to eliminate the association between tires and air factors, Michelin has introduced a new generation of non-inflatable tires called Uptis (Unique Puncture proof Tire System). Michelin, in partnership with General Motors, plans to apply this revolutionary tire to passenger cars starting in 2024.

Uptis non-inflatable tires feature fiberglass bands and fiberglass reinforced spring spokes under the tire tread, replacing the air in conventional inflatable tires. The tires are not mounted directly on the hub, but are mounted on Michelin special wheels and are balanced. Compared to conventional tires, Uptis tires do not require a complex disassembly process and can be installed directly on the vehicle.

During the testing phase, the Michelin Uptis non-inflatable tires showed sharper handling performance than conventional tires. According to Michelin, the drivers tested said that the Uptis non-inflatable tires are very flexible in the extreme conditions, and the handling performance exceeds that of traditional tires. This shows that airless tires have an important development direction in adapting to performance cars. On the track, these airless tires have obvious advantages.

According to Michelin, it took ten years to develop the Uptis tyre. The ultimate goal is to popularize and commercialize inflatable tires on a large scale. For both car manufacturers and commercial fleets, inflatable tires will become an important choice, both in developed countries and in developing countries where road conditions are complex.

Michelin’s Uptis non-inflatable tyres give France Post’s fleet a huge advantage. These tires avoid problems such as improper tire pressure and blowouts, thereby optimizing transportation productivity and ensuring business continuity. In addition, the frequency of replacement of Uptis tires is significantly reduced, reducing the waste of resources. It is expected that by 2024, Uptis non-inflatable tires will be officially commercialized in the field of passenger cars. Cars equipped with Uptis tires will eliminate the need for a spare tire, further reducing vehicle weight, improving fuel economy, and reducing the environmental harm of conventional tires.

The commercialization of non-inflatable tires will bring revolutionary changes to the automotive industry. It not only provides higher safety performance, but also has a longer service life and lower maintenance costs. With the continuous progress of technology and the improvement of market acceptance, non-inflatable tires are expected to become the mainstream choice for future car driving, providing drivers with a safer and more comfortable driving experience.