KeninBlaine

Has anyone seen these prototype airless tires being developed by Michelin in South Carolina? Apparently they were shown at the Philadelphia auto show.

russo

I don't get it. In addition, they don't look all that hot. What is the performance characteristics?

Edgy01

These were tested by Audi several years ago. They never went anywhere with them. I would be curious as to the material used between the tread and the rim,--and how it holds up to serious prolonged UV exposure.

abe

I would assume that what you see wont be the final look. I hope they cover the sides with rubber.
Now, if they could make them attractive, with good performance, at a competative price....I am in.
No more flat tires.
abe

wbellinz

I saw this a while ago. I thought it was a joke (and poor photoshop job).

Marv

Where do you put the nitrogen?

mdrums

The final look will look like a tire as we know it with a rubber side wall. This is the R&D cut away picture. I bet a few years down the road these will start to make there way into regual automobiles. I was told they are working on the weight of this design.

Kevin K

I like the concept.

Here's my ideal futuristic tire. You'll see that I'm not any kind of engineer.

Tire has many individual vented chambers. Air can flow through the vents one way, so you can inflate the whole tire via one stem, but won't flow the other way, so that if punctured, only one compartment loses air and the tire is still drivable until repair. Now, how hard could that be?

cello

^ that is a good idea, tho. One downside would be increased wt from the individual chambers. Tolerances would have to be close too to avoid differing sidewall flexes, etc.

Re the OP, I wonder how slippery they are/will be. If they are not materially heavier, and if they are not greasy like run flats, i would be in too.