Given the amount of development, target launch is quite near.
A study found that 20% of tires are discarded each year due to flats, rapid pressure loss, or irregular wear caused by poor tire pressure. This is equivalent to 200 million tires not being used as intended. This is a lot waste in terms cost, material, and energy.
The sustainability issue is what Michelin has been focusing on when creating the Uptis Unique Puncture-proof Tire System prototype. Although the Michelin Uptis was officially introduced in 2019, it has been developing for over a decade. Here’s a glimpse of the Uptis while being worn by a Mini Cooper SE. This video is courtesy YouTube’s Mr. JWW.
The video is available at the top of the page. Mr. JWW interviewed Cyrille ROGET, Michelin’s Group Scientific and Technical Communication Director. Roget was enthusiastic about the French tire brand’s innovations and shared some insights about the tire’s design.
He said that the Uptis is composed of spokes and belts. The latter are made from thin, strong fiberglass to support the vehicle’s weight. Michelin filed 50 patents to protect its invention.
Mr. JWW took a test drive in the Cooper SE-fitted Uptis, which was a huge deal since he was the first outside Michelin tester to put it on a car. We love the concept and can’t wait to see how the product will be received once it is on the market in the 2024 target launch year.
Although the Michelin Uptis will not be the first attempt to create airless tires, it is highly likely that it will be the very first.