Soliders Test Airless 'Tweels' on Difficult Terrain, and They Could Be Coming to Civilian Cars
A new airless tire could potentially be the next big trend on both utility and regular vehicles.
Tire-giant Michelin is testing out a new tire called a "Tweel," the merging of the words "tire" and "wheel." The Tweel is also airless and designed to work as an ordinary tire.
The U.S. Army, in conjunction with Michelin, has utilized the Tropic Regions Test Center (TRTC) in South America to test out the Tweels on various Army vehicles.
The Polaris MZMR is a military vehicle that test officers have been using Tweel tires on. This vehicle has also been used in Afghanistan in the last few years, which makes it ideal to test the Tweel.
"It is not as comfortable, but it is sturdier and heavier with a rolling cage," said Carlos Mora, a TRTC test officer on July 30. "It is more mission-oriented."
The Tweel also will never go flat, which is a huge advantage for soldiers who are placed in a variety of combat-driven situations.
"One reason for this technology is to reduce weight on those small vehicles so you don't have to carry a spare tire, jacks, or materials to fix a puncture," said Mora.
The Tweel tires proved to be durable and can operate under multiple terrains. They also last three times longer than regular tires after being tested in the jungle and on land.
"All of these old mining roads and logging roads were the perfect scenario for the vehicle," said Mora. "The customer also liked the composition of the soils."
Michelin has spent the last 10 years developing the Tweel tire, which is now available for UTVs. GM is also developing a version of the Tweel tire called "Uptis." Uptis is short for "Unique Punctureproof Tire System."
"Uptis demonstrates that Michelin's vision for a future of sustainable mobility is clearly an achievable dream. Through work with strategic partners like GM, who share our ambitions for transforming mobility, we can seize the future today," says Florent Menegaux, Michelin Group CEO.
"General Motors is excited about the possibilities that Uptis presents, and we are thrilled to collaborate with Michelin on this breakthrough technology," said Steve Kiefer, senior vice president of global purchasing and supply chain at General Motors.
"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," concluded Kiefer in a detailed press release.
Michelin plans to introduce the Tweel tires to civilian cars in 2024.
