[Merged] New Michelin Tires (Tweel)

[RafRaf]

from autoindistriya.com

Michelin has released information and the first photos of its Tweel(TM) technology, the fusion of the tire and the wheel. Developed in the U.S. at the company's technology center in Greenville, the non-pneumatic Tweel has the potential to transform the automotive, military, construction and personal mobility industries in the years ahead.

"Major revolutions in mobility may come along only once in a hundred years," said Terry Gettys, president of Michelin Americas Research and Development Center. "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."

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. With 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..... read more from autoindustriya.com

[kiper]

Totoo ba yan?

It looks like a bicycle wheel to me.

Di pwede sa off-road yan!

[gearspeed]

Ibang klase naman yang technology na yan..Itsurang pang bicycle wheel nga..Low profile pa..hehe..

[flakez]

haha. low profile nga. hehehe

[tarugs24]

Baka pang de pedal na car ito ah...

[tarugs24]

http://www.michelinman.com/differenc...01102005a.html

[RafRaf]

http://www.michelinman.com/differenc...01102005a.html

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.

[Karding]

Unless na magkaron ng 2" polished lip yan, then bibilhin ko in the future.

[RafRaf]

CARS:

TRUCKS:

CAN YOUR REGULAR TIRE DO THIS? HI-HO SILVER AWAY!!!

WHEEL CHAIR:

don't knock it 'til you tried it (as they say).... think of the possibilities with this technology!

[boybi]

hindi kaya magkakaproblema sa traction yan?

[wilcats]

whoa! kakaiba to ah. ok parin kya traction nito??
pero bilib ako ah, ang galing

[jim]

this is awesome!!! it's reinventing the wheel pero a really improved one!!! GO TWEEL!!!

[Horsepower]

ang hirap linisin nyan. hehe

also, what will spring the tyre back to it's form? parang mahina kasi ang hitsura.

[donski]

anong masasabi niyo sa airless tire ng MICHELIN?






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[squala]

It's aesthetically ugly, but if it can last for at least 2 years on our roads and cost the same as regular tires, it makes great sense.

[batang_raon14]

I guess it still needs some improvements in adding class to functionality.. You can't call an Audi a luxury sedan with its wheels looking as awkward as that I believe.