The tire industry has gone through a century of development, from solid tires to radial tires, and has entered a bottleneck period that is difficult to break through, and no major innovations have occurred since then.
Many industry insiders believe that the next disruptive revolution in the tire market will be the change in product structure and materials - Airless tires replacing radial tires may be the trend of the future market.
The global airless tires market is expected to grow at a 5.4% CAGR and reach a value of US$ 85 million by 2033, up from US$ 50 million in 2023 according to Fact.MR.
The biggest advantage of airless tires is safety. The inner tube of the original tire is inflated to allow the car to have better elasticity and shock absorption effect when driving. Airless tires use honeycomb or other hollow structures instead of air, allowing the tires to maintain their elasticity while eliminating the risk of flat tyres, thereby reducing tire usage costs and the chance of damage, and reducing impact on the environment.
In recent years, many tire companies have participated in and deployed airless tires. Some companies have started road testing and have even commercialized airless tires.
Michelin partially commercializes airless tires
As a technology leader in the tire industry, Michelin still leads in the research and development and application of airless tires, and has even achieved small-scale commercial results.
In June this year, Michelin CEO Meng Liguo revealed in an interview that Tesla is discussing with Michelin to test its next-generation airless tire technology Uptis.
It is reported that Michelin UPTIS tires are suitable for passenger cars and light trucks. The product provides support for vehicles with a revolutionary innovative structure, and the "plug and play" design makes the driving experience more convenient. On the one hand, users don't have to worry about the impact of bad road conditions on tires, and on the other hand, it can reduce the number of tires scrapped due to punctures.
In fact, Uptis has been commercialized on a small scale in the "last mile delivery" industry since last year. In January 2023, Michelin partnered with international logistics company DHL to pilot the use of UPTIS puncture-resistant tires on Singapore roads for the first time.
In June 2023, Michelin announced its cooperation with French Post, it is expected that by the end of 2024, nearly 40 French Postal trucks will use UPTIS puncture-resistant tires and be put into operation in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. The cooperation will last for two years.
Currently, the Michelin UPTIS tire is the only airless tire in the world that can be driven on open roads in real environments on three continents, with a total mileage of nearly 3 million kilometers.
Bridgestone airless tires to accelerate market launch
In March this year, Bridgestone conducted road tests on its Air Free brand airless tires on public roads near Kodaira City, Tokyo, and plans to commercialize the next generation of airless tires.
The airless tires will be mounted on test vehicles and their performance analyzed in a variety of public road environments to replicate actual usage conditions.
It is understood that as early as last year, Japan's Idemitsu Kosan's ultra-small electric vehicles were equipped with Bridgestone's "Air Free Concept" airless tires and tested on the road.
Just as its name implies, the Air Free Concept requires no inflation, but is supported by specially shaped spokes used on the sidewalls, thus preventing punctures and eliminating the need for tire maintenance such as tire pressure management.
To improve the tire's sustainability, the Air Free Concept's tread can be retreaded and the resin component that supports the spokes can be recycled.
Bridgestone said its future goal is to expand value through co-creation with various partners and is committed to combining airless and puncture-proof functions with autonomous driving to achieve a higher level of safety.
Goodyear tests airless tire high-speed performance
Due to the limitations of materials and structure, airless tires will make a lot of noise when driving at high speeds and the ride comfort will be greatly reduced.
In 2022, Goodyear tested its airless tires using a Tesla Model 3 at the Luxembourg testing ground, completing 120,000 kilometers of testing at a maximum speed of 160 km/h, in addition to some tests in cold and hot environments.
The speed of 160km/h in this test is far beyond the limit of use for family cars. Ultimately, the airless tire performed far better than expected.
According to Goodyear, airless tires require less maintenance than ordinary pneumatic tires and can better handle heavy load scenarios.
Goodyear said its goal is to get the U.S. Department of Transportation approval for airless tires, but that could take several years and would likely first be installed on non-personal vehicles.
Additionally, in 2021, Last year, Goodyear conducted initial road tests of airless tires on its 3D-printed autonomous city shuttle, Olli.
In fact, the industry has been researching and developing airless tires for more than ten years. In addition to the above three companies, Hankook, Kumho, Continental and domestic leading tire companies have all joined the research and development ranks.
Currently, airless tires still have some shortcomings that are difficult to overcome. In addition to the comfort and noise issues in high-speed environments mentioned above, if the hole of the airless tire is stuck by foreign objects, the tire will easily deform, affecting performance and even posing a safety hazard.
With breakthroughs made by various companies in the fields of materials and structures, it may become a reality that airless tires will be comparable to or even replace pneumatic tires in the future, and the century-old history of tire inflation may be completely overturned.
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