 |
| The long awaited airless tyre for cars is inching closer. |
MICHELIN and General Motors last week presented the long-awaited airless wheel for passenger vehicles.
The Uptis Prototype (for “Unique Punctureproof Tire System”) was unveiled at the Movin’On Summit for sustainable mobility. The companies said they will start testing the Uptis on a fleet of Bolt EV vehicles in Michigan later this year.
Airless tyres are already used on bicycles and construction vehicles, but vibration, noise and heat has to date made them unsuited on fast-moving cars.
The tests of the Uptis in real world conditions may overcome this challenges, but tyre shops around the world are not holding their breaths. While making all the right noises and keeping mountain bikers from pumping, the more cynical observers point out the tyre industry has no incentive to let out the air of the industry that keeps wheels rolling.
