The first public, real-world demo of the innovative airless Michelin Uptis tire was recently carried out at the IAA Mobility show in Munich.
The Michelin Uptis tire (Uptis is short for Unique Puncture-Proof Tire System) is constructed from a combination of composite rubber and resin-embedded fiberglass and features a unique structural design that is able to support the weight of a vehicle without the need for air. Michelin says these tires are more robust than a traditional pressurized tire, as they cannot be punctured by nails or other sharp objects.
In addition to the obvious durability benefits, the Michelin Uptis may also prove to be more eco-friendly than a traditional tire. Michelin estimates around 200 million tires are scrapped each year due to punctures and/or rapid pressure loss – problems the Uptis sidesteps. The tire would also reduce the chance of tire failures at speed, thereby minimizing blowout-related crashes. All of these benefits fit directly in line with GM’s Vision Zero initiative of a world with zero crashes, zero congestion and zero vehicle emissions.
Michelin first unveiled a prototype version of the Uptis back in 2019. The French tire manufacturer has been working closely with General Motors on the design ever since, testing the Uptis on private test tracks and public roads with the eventual goal of releasing a market-ready version as soon as 2024. In a 2019 press release titled “Michelin, GM Take the Air Out of Tires for Passenger Vehicles,” the automaker said it was “excited about the possibilities that Uptis presents,” for its customers.
“Uptis is an ideal fit for propelling the automotive industry into the future and a great example of how our customers benefit when we collaborate and innovate with our supplier partners,” GM said in a statement.
Michelin gave demo rides to the media in an electric Mini Cooper equipped with Uptis tires at the IAA Mobility show in Munich early last month and says it received positive feedback from participants.
“The truly distinctive structure of the Michelin Uptis prototype, or its ‘weirdness’ as we have often heard it called, really attracted the attention of many visitors and left a lasting impression on them,” said Cyrille Roget, Michelin Group Technical and Scientific Communications Director. “It was an exceptional experience for us, and our greatest satisfaction came at the end of the demonstration when our passengers, who were admittedly a little wary at first, said they felt no difference compared with conventional tires.”
Michelin says it remains on track to release the Uptis tire to the public in 2024. You can see it in action in the video embedded below.
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Comments
This is really a program that has been around for a long time Michelin keeps working on it and getting it closer to being a practical use thing.
Performance wise they are very doable,. The real trouble is this. They will require special wheels like the old TRX. This means they will will have to come with their own wheel as part of the tire. This may be a limiting factor to what you can buy.
The TRX deal went down the tubes as no one wanted to pay the price of the TRX tires as they could get regular tires and wheels for the same price as just the tires.
The other factor is style. These side walls are not exactly nice looking. They will not be easy to clean and I can see things getting in the holes like mud and ice that could give balance issues.
We may see use of these in limited areas of the market but I don’t see them dominating soon.
Every MFG has a form of these out there but they are just not ready to move forward yet.
Also consider how seldom we get flat tires anymore. Most flats are self inflicted with just being worn out.
They had these on ATV/UTVs (which is a great application since you regularly get punctures going off road, they don’t have spares, and you can’t really call a tow truck) and nobody bought them.
They added thousands of dollars to the purchase price (replacement tires are $700 each), the traction was poor (ATVs need very soft tires and are run at maybe 8 PSI) and you could never put regular tires on the vehicle since it required suspension changes.
See also the Honda Odyssey service problems with the Michelin PAX run-flats, and before that the Michelin TRX.
I would like to know how do you re thread the rims after the original thread is worn ouy.
On their ATV product, the entire wheel is changed. That’s why they call it the “TWEEL”, tire-wheel.
Good question for the high volume of cars – now these TWheels will be more expensive if you do some how chunk a tire or get a tear in it. plus the added waste of the wheels being thrown away….hmm
They are fully recyclable. Grind them up and make something else from it.
Are they going to put a side wall on them? slush will freeze and make the car undrivable in the winter – same with Mud and rocks. I’m sure for PR there is no side wall to show the inside but I don’t know how this could be practical with the simple concerns I just mentioned.
To this point I have never seen a side wall with these. I don’t believe the intent is to leave it open.
I too have reservations on these for mud and snow,. Imagine a jeep in mud packed in the holes. This may be a limited use tire.
Covered side walls would cause heat problems. Pneumatic tire only
live because of the taped air that transfers heat build (due to flexure of tread and sidewall)
to the rim and outside wall.
How do you recycle products with fiber glass as a filler.
Just think about how many different wheel/tire styles dealers would have to have in stock.
Having built and tested airless (similar) tires heat build up is the Achilles Heel.
They are quite good for very low speed and flexure, however poor for self cleaning of the inner areas.
These are used in tractors already.
Tires hopefully get a sidewall debris could get into the ribs and then you have a real problem.