Weird new Michelin tire design...

[hooD]

 

[Roppa440]

I don't think the intended finished product would be without the sidewall. I think the lack of sidewall here is just to show off the technology. Production versions would look like a normal tire.

[340SIX]

That is Michellins future tire and wheel combo design.  They call it the "Twheel".  It is not slated for production for 5-10 years. It is a one piece design.  When the tread wears out, you replace the entire twheel.   

If it had a side wall and that is just a cutaway pic.
They could possibly be like solid tires on eqipment and lift trucks wher the tire is pressed onto the rims.
Just a thought

['Cuda Hunter]

I do believe that the plastic tabs do have some give and do give a little bit of padding from the road.

[Super Blue 72]

They have run a car without the sidewalls...

['Cuda Hunter]

You can see the cushion where the tires touch the road. 

[Justins72]

They have run a car without the sidewalls...

Im still going to have to say that its for testing purposes to show how everything works. I cant see anyone buying something like that with no sidewall. It looks like a old old wagon wheel. Thats just my opinion though.

[70 383 SE]

They would sure have to have alot of different tire densities to accomodate all the different weight of vehicles, seeing you can`t change tire pressures with these.

[ViperMan]

The neat image is seeing the tire pop over a small curb - you can see the tire adjusting to the impact and keeps on rolling.  Very, very neat idea.

Yes they might need a few different "strengths" dependant on what vehicle you're running - I think the biggest problem would be producing these in the wide-range of sizing that vehicles would need.

I also know that a big hurdle is with rim integration - as said above, they're either going to need a one-piece design, or need a special selection of rims that these "tires" can be fitted to.

So they'd need to make them in a variety of "strengths," sizes, AND wheel designs...

I think if they could figure out how to do this with a regular, mountable tire, they'd have the next-best thing since sliced bread toasted with beer-flavored butter...

Jeff

[Aussie Challenger]

  Wonder what will happen when fitted to a tyre smoking MOPAR..      

[dodge freak 2]

every gang banger wants these the cops stop sticks wont do anything to these.

Yep, that is the end of that. Even run flat tires that are sold to the public can be stop by stop sticks (one would think Obama's limo would be fine thou).

I won't be sold to the public if its unstoppable.

[bb71challenger]

OK picture this.......A guy is out riding his Harley and on down the road a car with these freaky tires is heading his way. This car came out of a gravel parking lot after filling up with gas and has a couple of small rocks stuck in the tire. As the car meets the Harley guy going the other way one of the small rocks dislodge and hit him square between the eyes. He is a non helmet wearer and now this small projectile has hit him with a minumum of 120mph velocity and up. What do you think its going to do to him?

[Moparal]

It will make him wish he had a helmet, face shield and leathers on for sure.  A wasp at 60 is killer to

[dodge freak 2]

So many great ideas go down the tubes when out in the real world. Good point on the motorcyclist.   

[hemiken]

It will make him wish he had a helmet, face shield and leathers on for sure.  A wasp at 60 is killer to

Man your wasps travel fast over there ours here would be flat out at 5 or 6 Mph