Recently, Michelin officially announced that it plans to launch the Uptis (Unique Puncture-proof Tire System) series of tires in the next 3-5 years, and will be the first to be installed on the new generation of Chevrolet Bolt. It's worth mentioning that Chevrolet just released a replacement for bolt in February 2021, so we'll wait until its next replacement may not be as early as 2025.
The prototype of the Michelin Uptis airless tire was first introduced in 2019, and then it was tested and verified in cooperation with General Motors, which was the previous generation of Chevrolet Bolt. The biggest advantage of this tire is that it is puncture resistant. The tire consists of a conventional rubber tread and dense glass fiber spokes, relying on flexible ribs to provide an air-like effect to carry the weight of the vehicle. Therefore, even if the tread is punctured, it will have little impact. In addition, airless tires will also increase tire life, in line with the current concept of environmental protection.
However, airless tires are not all-round products, for example, in specific scenarios, such as off-road vehicles driving on gravel roads or sports cars driving on the track, when the tire pressure needs to be adjusted to change the tire adhesion, the airless tires are not yet satisfied. However, in the civilian market, the market prospects for airless tires are huge, so Michelin has applied for 50 patents for the development of Uptis tires.
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