Airless tyres could be on the road by 2024

However, Michelin have designed the UPTIS (Unique Puncture-proof Tire System), an airless tyre for passenger vehicles – and they could be on the road by 2024.

But what makes airless tyres safer?

Unlike pneumatic, or air-filled, tyres, airless tyres are puncture-proof and do not require inflation or air pressure monitoring. This means they reduce the risk of drivers having to change a tyre on a busy roadside or having a wheel blow-out – which can be fatal.

How are they made?

The pieces are put together by stretching a shear band, made of rubber, over the spokes and then the tread is added to the shear band. Michelin’s UPTIS tyre is a combination of an aluminium wheel and a flexible load-bearing structure made from glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP).

How do they work?

The spokes work by absorbing the impact of the wheel as the car drives over dips and bumps – much like the effect of air pressure in a traditional tyre, the spokes give the vehicle an element of suspension. However, rather than ‘deflating’ on impact, the spokes will ‘crush’ and then immediately spring back into shape.

3D printing and sustainability

Airless tyres also have 3D printed treads, meaning that when they wear out, manufacturers can re-tread them using 3D printing technology. There is less rubber needed to manufacture airless tyres when compared with a traditional tyre, so they are more environmentally friendly. Also, by having 3D printed treads, it means the tyres can be designed and modified depending on things such as user need, and the changing seasons.

The average life of a traditional tyre is 30,000 miles but many tyres never reach this limit as they are prone to punctures or blow-outs. Because airless tyres are puncture-proof, they will be able to perform to the end of their tread life, and once this happens, tyre manufactures will be able to simply re-tread them using 3D printing technology.

The materials used for the wheel structure itself will also be reusable, meaning they can be melted down and reused – making them a longer lasting and greener option.

Airless tyres also negate the need to carry a spare, which frees up space and weight, meaning better fuel economy.

There is still some way to go to get these on the road by 2024, but the technology is heading in the right direction.