Tweel: an interesting article about a new type of tire from Michelin with an accompanying video

interesting. would be a game changer if they pan out. i didn't see anything about mpg, but even so, if they last 3 times longer, it might be worth it.

 

Glad they're still working on this after a couple dozen years. Many of the earlier problems seem to be solved, if I can believe the entire article. About all those open cells in the side of the tweels - what if you get a rock or mud stuck in just some of those? That would throw the tweel balance off badly, wouldn't it? Not a problem at slow speeds - like on a riding lawnmower, but with a car at 85mph? Not something I'd want to experience.

I'll keep my pneumatics, and my spare, for the time being.

 

+1 I still see enough gravel to wonder about those tweels.

On the other hand the Bridgestone tire mentioned at the end- that's good reading. It looks like they've taken a fresh ear to tread noise, and I'm pretty curious about the results.

 

I saw a similar article a couple days ago. I can't help wondering how many times those spoke-like arms can flex before they wear out and fail.

The other thing I'm curious about is the actual weight. They say they save weight since you don't need to carry a jack & a spare. Well, most cars already don't have a spare. And what do they actually weigh? The wording makes it sound like they are heavier than a comparable pneumatic tire, and they look like it, too. The heavier they are, the more they adversely affect the unsprung weight ratio which makes it harder to have a comfortable AND controlled ride at the same time.

But, if they are viable, not having to be concerned about flats would be nice.

 

i guess gm testing them is a good sign. 2024 seems reasonable, but you never know with new tech.

 

$300 to 400 a piece! a specialized hot product

 

Price is fairly meaningless without knowing the service life. If that's the only set needed for the life of the car then they're quite cheap.

Plenty can go wrong...

 

Not much chance these would get packed with snow and ice and go completely out of balance. Maybe they will ship with a 12V hair dryer.

 

The ribs can be designed at slight angle to dislodge any debris/snow/ice as they flex. At least that is how I would design 'em...

 

Michelin has a history of good engineering and high quality tires. I suspect they've either got a solution or will have.

 

gm's testing in southern michigan should be interesting

 

What about 3D printing a winter tread pattern onto a Tweel? (Like without studs) Is that feasible?

 

The tread portion is a removable band.The spoke section supposedly lasts three times as long as a current tire, but the treads will need replacing during that time. Once supplies and enough shops are available, it should be cheaper to get new treads than a whole new tire.

In the comments of the article, there was someone who got to test tweels in the military. After going off road, they needed to be cleaned out, or the wheels could be out of balance. I imagine the same could happen with snow.

 

"...it should be cheaper."

Where have I heard that before?