Triaxis Energy

Michelin Tweel

This is a cool new product from Michelin under development right now and it is totally revolutionary.  I spotted this first while browsing across some pictures of skid steers (like bobcat loaders) and noticed a weird tire on one.  From what I see and read it’s mainly to replace pneumatic tires on the road thus eliminating flats and possibly the need for spare tires.  It seemed to start out on skid steers (I guess since they operate in construction environments where there is a lot of debris hazardous to conventional pneumatic tires) but they now seem to be testing them for automobile use.  This has gotta be one of the most innovative ideas I’ve ever seen and could totally change the way we look at tires.  The problem we have with pneumatic tires is that they can go flat obviously from punctures as well as improper seals between the rim and tire.  The Tweel is not pneumatic therefore overcoming that challenge.  Also they are said to be able to absorb more shock providing a smoother ride, wear longer, be able to be re-treaded, and be simpler to manufacture.  Now the thing that I really like about the Tweel is the simplicity of it.  No more flats or air pressure loss commonly seen with aluminum rims and if we could eliminate the spare tire on our vehicles it would improve fuel economy as well.  Now the only potential problem I can foresee with the Tweel is cold weather.  Since it’s made with plastic or some composite material it may be susceptible to brittleness in cold temperatures which could cause some serious problems like or fracturing or even shattering.  Hopefully Michelin has found a way to overcome this issue or this product may be only available in warmer climates.  Either way I am very impressed with the Tweel and hope to see more of it in the future.