Imagine if someone invented a tyre that couldn’t be punctured or deflated.
You won’t be surprised to learn that Michelin have done exactly that! Their idea is a whole lot better than the solution my friends and I used to try as kids, filling our tyres with expanding foam (which doesn’t actually work, by the way). Instead of this, Michelin have created the ‘Tweel’, a radial tyre that uses layers of plastic membranes to absorb shock and adapt the shape to ground surfaces. Instead of air inside the tyre, it has many rubber spokes that are thin and deformable, yet very strong.
The idea of the Tweel is to improve productivity and reduce downtime, with these wheels targeted at large machinery vehicles like skid steer loaders and ride-on lawnmowers. The wheels offer more suspension than regular pneumatic tyres, offering a more comfortable driving experience. These plastic and rubber will lead to improved resource efficiency in the long term, as the money and time spent repairing wheels in the past is no longer required.
Check out this video!