Michelin UPTIS: the airless puncture-proof tyre has arrived!

Michelin’s new puncture-proof tyre is called UPTIS, and it could be a true revolution when it becomes available in about five years.

Michelin already offers the Tweel technology on some tyres for agricultural use and machinery of various kinds. And it recently presented a concept of flexible “pothole-proof” tyre and wheel to avoid the damage caused by potholes and the defects we find on roads.

Now, the tyre manufacturer has surprised at the Movin’On mobility congress taking place in Montreal, Canada, with the presentation of its Michelin UPTIS prototype, developed in collaboration with General Motors.

The name of this puncture-proof tyre designed to run without air comes from the initials of Unique Puncture proof Tire System, which roughly means “Unique Puncture-Proof Tyre System”. And the best part is that this time it is not a technology that is going to be left on the drawing board.

Michelin has announced that it intends to continue the real-world testing phase with a fleet of Chevrolet Bolt EV electric vehicles in Michigan, United States, with the idea that it could be launched on the market for use on passenger vehicles from 2024.

For now, the best thing is for you to see what Michelin UPTIS is and how it works fitted to a car in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yVh4c5UJSk

The advantages of an airless tyre

As it doesn’t need air, the first advantage of Michelin UPTIS is obvious, as we have already mentioned several times: there is no possibility of suffering a puncture, with all that this means for the safety of the vehicle’s occupants.

But due to its construction characteristics, Michelin’s puncture-proof tyre also offers greater durability, as it is not affected by potholes, scraping against kerbs or foreign objects that may damage the sidewall or the structure of the tyre.

The savings for professionals or fleet owners are considerable, as they optimise productivity by reducing maintenance operations. And the benefit for the environment is enormous, since Michelin UPTIS uses fewer raw materials in its manufacture than a conventional tyre.

Not to mention that it would reduce the number of tyres discarded every year due to punctures or damage, which is currently estimated at about 200 million tyres each year worldwide.

We will surely soon learn more news about this puncture-proof tyre, which includes a special wheel made of aluminium and a tread that could be similar to that of a conventional tyre, but which relies on a series of high-strength rubber elements, resins and carbon fibre between the tread and the wheel.