June 5, 2019— Michelin and General Motors presented a new generation of airless wheel technology for passenger vehicles — the MICHELIN Uptis Prototype (or "Unique Puncture-proof Tire System").
Michelin and GM also announced a joint research agreement under which the companies intend to validate the Uptis Prototype with the goal of introducing Uptis on passenger models as early as 2024.
Because Uptis is airless, the breakthrough wheel assembly eliminates the dangerous risk of flat tires and blowouts:
- Drivers of passenger vehicles feel safer on the road.
- Operators of passenger vehicle fleets minimize downtime and improve efficiency resulting from flat tires and near-zero levels of maintenance.
- Society at large benefits from extraordinary environmental savings through reduced use of raw materials for replacement tire or spare tire production.
The Uptis Prototype represents a major advancement toward achieving Michelin's VISION concept, which was presented at the Movin'On Summit in 2017 as an illustration of Michelin's strategy for research and development in sustainable mobility. The VISION concept introduced four main pillars of innovation: airless, connected, 3D-printed and 100% sustainable (entirely renewable or bio-sourced materials).
