Tweel is an innovative tire design created by Michelin. The tire uses no air and therefore cannot burst or become flat.
Instead, Tweel’s base is connected to shock-absorbing polyurethane spokes which are used to support the outer rim.
Tweel Video Presentation
Sachawinter
Very interesting idea.. I wonder if these are available for the public…
Jul 5th, 2009
Siti Web Bologna
The future!!!
Jul 6th, 2009
Hajime
Epic win!!
Every car can use these tires forever!!
Jul 6th, 2009
Lone
All those benefits, and many sound great, would shut down a fair number of related industries or minimize them severely, such as Michelin itself (a tire lasting ‘forever’ would eat a lot of profit). The video is about three years old so its hard to say if thisll go farther than prototyping.
Jul 6th, 2009
Benjamin
Although a great idea, I replace my tyres when the tread becomes too worn, something these wouldn’t really address. Great idea for 4×4 and other heavy duty applications though, where punctures could be more common and tread wear was reduced.
Jul 6th, 2009
Sleepy
Why do you think that these would last forever? Threads will wear, hence you will have to change the tyres. The advantage is, no puncture no flat tyre. GREAT IDEA.
Jul 6th, 2009
Andrea
I agree with Sleepy, otherwise today we would still use wooden tires.
Jul 6th, 2009
Ryan
Indeed, this is a great idea. I wonder how well the polyurethane “spokes” perform under a lot of torque. Also looks like the ride would be pretty rough…
Jul 6th, 2009
Blunckhouse
The Tweel comes up every few years and people always think it’s a brand new idea–it’s not. It came out in January 3rd, 2005 and hasn’t gone anywhere since:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/03/automobiles/03cars.html?ex=1262494800&en=f8f420df5ca1261d&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt
Jul 6th, 2009
Dijinn
Lone said, “All those benefits, and many sound great, would shut down a fair number of related industries or minimize them severely…”
The current business model of production and greed has seriously harmed our planet. Jobs have already been shed because of the misalignment of greedy constraints.
Lone said, …”a tire lasting ‘forever’ would eat a lot of profit”… By acting for the future in the here and now, we as a people, a planet a country are better. Remaining in the ills of the profit model only, is not something most people would embrace, unless they are selfish.
Jul 6th, 2009
lano
These tires may very well hit the market, but I am quite convinsed they will have limited impact on the every-man-customer. They don’t look good. And i seriously doubt they are very aerodynamic, wich immediately makes them inappropriate for racing. And that also means bugger fuel consumption.
Very good idea, and probably works just fine on the CAT machine above. But for cars? Not a chance.
Jul 6th, 2009
gary
wheely good idea, tho’ if i was a tire I would be feeling a little bald and deflated.
Jul 6th, 2009
trolomatic
Dijinn;
your saying that while typing on your Mac, right? One of the vanguards for the “planned obsolescence” business model.
also “has seriously harmed our planet” is theory, yet to be proven by anyone.
People need jobs, and if they made a tire that lasted forever, ya, the jobs lost would be a problem.
However based on this tire’s design, while yes, it would be impervious to puncture damage, the fact that it doesn’t have an intertube and stress is applied directly to the internal trusses which in-turn don’t absorb the pressure nearly as much as an air pocket would, you would not only have a much “bumpier” ride (unless you had a new suspension system installed to compensate for these tires), the tread life on these tires would be MUCH less as well as wear our your suspension much faster as well (especially at high speeds, like highway driving).
You have to look at prototypes objectively, as in a prototype presentation they never mention the problems.
Jul 6th, 2009
trolomatic
oh and for reference
The Tweel does have several flaws, however, the worst being vibration. Above 50 mph, the Tweel vibrates considerably. That in itself is a big problem, but it also causes two other things: noise and heat. A fast moving Tweel is unpleasantly loud [Source: CBS News]
Jul 6th, 2009
karen
im pretty sure its still just a prototype… no need to go around making super scientific references or whatever…
Jul 6th, 2009
trolomatic
@karen
isn’t that the point of prototyping? to go and make “super scientific or whatever” analysis and determine if it is a worthwhile design to build upon? Or is it just to make the class say “OOO that looks Neat!” and get a good grade in your design class?
Jul 6th, 2009
Fabiano
lano, the “tweels” is obviously showing without the sides just to demonstrate the interiors and how it works. Im sure they can place some rubber in the sides and they will look like ordinary tires. So your argument about aesthetics and aerodynamic is stupid.
Jul 6th, 2009
Lone
Sleepy - I misheard what the video said, substituting wear for air pressure.
Dijinn - I was speaking (in partial error, see above) on the effects of this tire on related businesses. I have love for the environment too but its OT and bleeding hearts dont change the fact that job and financially loss trump (and likely continue doing so) mother nature in most cases.
Jul 6th, 2009
Eppers
Great idea… but I’d like to see how they hold up in a Minnesota winter.
Jul 6th, 2009
Geoff
Cool idea, but also very old. I first read about this more than three years ago. I guess they haven’t gotten it product-ized yet.
Jul 6th, 2009
kiwi
Literally reinventing the wheel
Jul 6th, 2009
Wesley
Really old news and I kind of find them to be ugly (although, it’s probably because I’m not used to them).
Jul 7th, 2009
Kararchi
the tire wont last forever….it will still ware and tear it just can’t get flat because there’s no air in it
Jul 7th, 2009
anniejain
its a fantabulous innovation!!!!!!
Jul 8th, 2009
benja
Wow it literally will take over the market
Jul 8th, 2009
Cliff
I love the way Michelin has been promoting this for now 3 years and it’s no closer to commercial viability than in was 3 years ago. Nice PR ploy though. Focus on things that divert attention from your current products that are overpriced. Wasn’t PAX the product of the future 5 years ago? What happened to that? Michelin walked away from it because it’s too expensive and unserviceable. By the way, if I have a new BMW, do you think I want an ugly tire like tweel on my vehicle? Not now. Not ever. But keep banging the drum for another 3 years Michelin.
Jul 9th, 2009
Ali
That’s amazing.
But could you please let me know, how we can buy it? (B2B)
Jul 9th, 2009
x_xabier
O_O
wow
awesome, a really cool advance for the transport
Jul 10th, 2009
paul
why has nobody ever thought of this? I’m amazed. That polymer technology must have been around for a while, or not?
Jul 13th, 2009
Fred fred burger
This is revolutinary!!! Now we can out run the cops!!! now spike strips are obsolete woohoo!!!
(:^P)
Jul 18th, 2009
ghprod
Cant believe it!
Tires of future!
Really great idea, when this item will available for public?
regards
Jul 23rd, 2009
Dody Kariem
WOW REALLY IMAZING ,,,,WHEN WE CAN USE IT IN THE MIDDLE EAST !.
REALLY ITS VERY VERY WOUNDERFUL
Jul 24th, 2009
Fathelee
well, with this type of tyres.. there would be no place for 20 inch rims..
plus, i think they are not making much profit as this would once off thing, hence they are halting the progress of this product.
Aug 3rd, 2009
M
It´s an very old idea !!
First presentation was 2005 !!
Aug 26th, 2009
Jim
If this is from 2005, what happened to it? Buried because it would last too long?
Aug 26th, 2009
dave
no you jackasses.. you’re not hearing about it because it takes a long time to get these things RIGHT. They can’t just mass produce them because they’re still experimental. Wait about a decade - then you’ll be sick of kids dissing your old school ride with its air-filled tires. More likely still is that you’ll see a gradual shift toward an “airless” tire.. it’s actually already begun..
Dec 11th, 2009
Ron
A little more research would have revealed to you that: a. They have a problem that they are too noisy. They are still working on that. b. They come with only one style wheel now and need to invent more to suit public taste. c. They last 2 to 3 times longer that aired tires. d. They can be retreaded.
Feb 24th, 2010
Aaron Woodcock
The technology for cars that don’t even need tires or tyres is already available to us but is not being used. You are all slaves. Everything is for a reason. Greed. Bow down before the one you serve. Make more tires. Burn the entire earth to the ground. All of you are to stupid to see the big picture. Humans do not deserve a planet that they continually pollute day upon day.
Jun 6th, 2010
Sumit
The concept of “TWEEL” is really a revolutionary idea in the automobile sector,as an Engineering student,I am eager to study this concept in details,so can you please mail me more info. of it.
also can we use a)springs replacement for flexible spokes at some extent…?
b)shall spokes to be given some aerodynamic or curve shape…?
c)can we use a very thin circular plastic/fibre plates as mud guard fits at centre hub on both sides for protection of flexible spokes…?
d)kindly suggest any other suitable material at the replacement of polyurethane..?
waiting for reply..? and heartly congratulations for your success…..
Jul 27th, 2010