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Michelin announces two fitments for its
revolutionary non-pneumatic
Tweel™
DETROIT, M.I. (January 9, 2005) – Today at the North American International
Auto Show (NAIAS) Michelin showcased a potential future for mobility, an
integrated tire and wheel combination missing one ingredient that is vital
for traditional tire performance...air. The company unveiled the first
real-world fitments for its revolutionary "Tweel" – which operates
entirely without air. View the photo gallery.
"Major revolutions in mobility may come along only once in a hundred
years," said Terry Gettys, president of Michelin Americas Research and
Development Center in Greenville, S.C. "But a new century has dawned and
Tweel has proven its potential to transform mobility. Tweel enables us to
reach levels of performance that quite simply aren't possible with today's
conventional pneumatic technology."
Michelin's Tweel is in production and available as an enhancement for future
iBOT™ mobility systems. Invented by Dean Kamen, the iBOT™ mobility device has
the ability to climb stairs and navigate uneven terrain, offering mobility
freedom impossible with traditional wheelchairs. Additionally, Segway LLC's
Concept Centaur, a prototype that applies self-balancing technology to a
four-wheel device, has also been equipped with Tweel to increase its
performance potential.
Beyond these first real-world applications, Michelin has additional projects
for Tweel on construction skidsteers and a variety of military vehicles. The
most intriguing application may be Michelin's early prototype Tweel fitment
for passenger cars. The mobility company released video of promising Tweel
performance on an Audi A4.
"The Tweel automotive application, as demonstrated on the Audi, is
definitely a concept, a stretch application with strong future
potential," said Gettys. "Our concentration is to enter the market
with lower-speed, lower-weight Tweel applications. What we learn from our
early successes will be applied to Tweel fitments for passenger cars and
beyond."
Benefits of Tweel™:
The heart of Tweel innovation is its deceptively simple looking hub and spoke
design that replaces the need for air pressure while delivering performance
previously only available from pneumatic tires. The flexible spokes are fused
with a flexible wheel that deforms to absorb shock and rebound with unimaginable
ease. Without the air needed by conventional tires, Tweel still delivers
pneumatic-like performance in weight-carrying capacity, ride comfort, and the
ability to "envelope" road hazards.
Michelin has also found that it can tune Tweel performances independently of
each other, which is a significant change from conventional tires. This means
that vertical stiffness (which primarily affects ride comfort) and lateral
stiffness (which affects handling and cornering) can both be optimized,
pushing the performance envelope in these applications and enabling new
performances not possible for current inflated tires. The Tweel prototype,
demonstrated on the Audi A4, is within five percent of the rolling resistance
and mass levels of current pneumatic tires. That translates to within one
percent of the fuel economy of the OE fitment. Additionally, Michelin has
increased the lateral stiffness by a factor of five, making the prototype
unusually responsive in its handling.
Future of Tweel™ Technology:
For Michelin, Tweel is a long-term vision that represents the next step in a
long path of industry-changing innovations. Fifty years ago, Michelin
invented the radial tire and there is no question that radial tire technology
will continue as the standard for a long time to come. Michelin continues to
advance the performance of the radial tire in areas such as rolling
resistance, wear life and grip. In the short-term, the lessons learned from
Tweel research are being applied to improve those conventional tire performances.
In the future, Tweel may reinvent the way that vehicles move. Checking tire
pressure, fixing flats, highway blow-outs and balancing between traction and
comfort could all fade into memory.
About Michelin:
The world's largest tire maker, Michelin (www.michelin.com) manufactures and
sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles,
bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and the
space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, maps and atlases covering
Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C.,
Michelin North America employs 23,000 and operates 21 plants in 17 locations.
Back to NAIAS main
page
Other NAIAS press releases:
Michelin® PAX System™
Scores with Honda Owners.
Michelin Challenge
Design™ Displays 45 Works from Azerbaijan to Venezuela at 2005 NAIAS.
Newest
Consumer-Satisfaction Honors Swell Michelin Trophy Case.
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