June 13, 2019—General Motors and tire manufacturer, Michelin, have partnered to create a prototype of a new wheel designed to replace the conventional pneumatic tires and wheels that automakers have relied on for more than a century, reports CNBC.
Dubbed the ‘tweel’, airless wheels have been a dream for tire manufacturers and automakers, offering a number of potential advantages, officials from GM and Michelin noted during a news conference in Montreal.
Michelin has been working on an airless tire concept or several years. Michelin and GM will go under the brand name Uptis, with production for the mass market aimed for 2024.
GM will still have to confirm if the technology will work before it locks down on final production plans. Competitors, including Bridgestone-Firestone, are also working on airless tires.
