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Tires that are not supported by air pressure

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Airless tires, non-pneumatic tires (NPT), or flat-free tires are tires that are not supported by air pressure. They can be used on small vehicles such as ride-on lawn mowers and motorized golf carts. They also are used on heavy equipment required to operate on sites where risk of tire punctures is high. Tires composed of closed-cell polyurethane foam are also made for bicycles and wheelchairs.

Advantages & disadvantages

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The main advantages of airless tires is that they do not go flat and need to be replaced less frequently. Heavy equipment outfitted with airless tires will be able to carry more weight and engage in more rugged activities.[1]

Airless tires generally have higher rolling resistance and provide somewhat less suspension than similarly shaped and sized pneumatic tires. Other problems for airless heavy equipment tires include dissipating the heat buildup that occurs when they are driven. Airless tires are often filled with compressed polymers (plastic) rather than air, or can be a solid molded product.

Airless tires are attractive to cyclists, as bicycle tires are much more vulnerable to punctures than motor vehicle tires.

The drawbacks to airless tires depend on the use. Heavy equipment operators who use machinery with solid tires may become fatigued. Any airless tire will be heavier than the rubber tire it is meant to replace.

However, airless tires are not popular with hardcore off-roaders, as those vehicles often need to travel long distances at highway speeds. At speeds above 80 km/h, they can be unstable, causing severe vibrations (and passenger discomfort), and therefore potential for drivers to lose vehicle control.[2]

Installation of airless tires depends on the use. Heavy equipment will need special equipment to mount, but an airless bicycle tire can be mounted with little effort. Solid airless lawnmower tires come pre-installed on the wheel, allowing quick installation.[citation needed]

Examples

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An Airless tire fitted on a Mobike

Many bicycle-sharing systems use these tires to reduce maintenance.

In 1938, J. V. Martin in the United States invented a safety tire with hoops of hickory encased in rubber and fitted with criss cross spokes of ribbed rubber. It could drive over 100 mm (4 inches) blocks when tested in a springless test car.[3]

In 2005, Michelin started developing an integrated tire and wheel combination, the "Tweel" (derived from "tire" and "wheel," which are combined into one new, fused part), which operates entirely without air. Michelin claims its "Tweel" has load carrying, shock absorbing, and handling characteristics that compare favorably to conventional pneumatic tires.[4] However, the tire has a lot of vibration when driving over 80 km/h (50 mph). Therefore the tire is only available for golf carts, ATV's and skid steer vehicles. In 2019 however Michelin and GM announced their goal of making a new airless tire for passenger vehicles available in 2024. [5] The automotive engineering group of the mechanical engineering department at Clemson University is developing a low energy loss airless tire with Michelin through the NIST ATP project.

Resilient Technologies and the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Polymer Engineering Center are creating a "non-pneumatic tire", which is a round polymeric honeycomb wrapped with a thick, black tread. The initial version of the tire is for the Humvee and is expected to be available in 2012.[6][7] It is also the first group to make a commercially available mass-produced airless tire after its acquisition by Polaris,[8] albeit only as coupled with their vehicle. The tire trademark is "Terrainarmor".

Bridgestone is developing the Bridgestone Air-Free Concept Tire, which can hold 150 kg (330 lb) per tire.[9]

The Energy return wheel (ERW) has the outer edge of the tire connected to the inner rim by a system of springs. The springs can have their tension changed to vary the handling characteristics.[10]

Hankook Tire is developing the iFlex airless tire.[11]

However, many tire manufacturing companies are yet to start making airless tire due to different limitations. Major companies like Goodyear say its airless tires won't be road-ready until 2030.[12]

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Additional reading:
What is an E Bike? Beginner Guide to Electric Bike

10 Questions You Should to Know about coil spring car price
Coil vs leaf springs for off-road.

See also

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References

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The announcement that Bridgestone was developing an “airless” or non-pneumatic tire for the passenger vehicle market sparked the interest of many drivers. Although this prototype is still being developed, the future looks bright for this revolutionary tire.

Bridgestone airless tire technology features a unique spoke structure designed to support the weight of a vehicle, effectively eliminating the need to periodically refill the tires with air.

In 2013, Bridgestone revealed its second generation air free concept non-pneumatic tire featuring improved load-bearing capabilities, environmental design and driving performance. However, there are developments and enhancements to be made before airless tires are available for consumers. Finding a way to avoid trapping debris within the spokes, as well as developing the best way to distribute weight evenly and consistently transmit loads are a couple of these hurdles. For reasons like these, many spectators think airless tires are still a decade or so away.

Despite this, the demand to keep up with the continuous advancements in the auto industry suggest that airless tires would be a welcome step forward for consumers as well as the auto industry.

Currently, most airless tires on the market are made from solid rubber or plastic. Golf carts, trailers and lawnmowers are a few examples of these tires being used in commercial applications.

BENEFITS OF AIRLESS TIRES FOR CARS

NO FLAT TIRES – EVER

With airless tires, you never have to worry about your tires leaking because--you knew this was coming--non-pneumatic tires have no air to leak. For most drivers, this feature will sound nothing short of revolutionary. When you run over a sharp object in the road, you won’t have to worry about a flat tire because tires without air can’t go flat. An end to the days of changing a tire on the highway shoulder would be welcome to drivers everywhere.

YOU WON’T NEED A SPARE TIRE

Since you won’t be changing or repairing a flat, you don’t need to carry a spare. Just like cars using run-flat tires, this feature could free up trunk space. No spare also means less weight and less weight means better fuel economy

VEHICLE-HEAVY INDUSTRIES CAN SAVE MONEY

Airless tires also may offer other specific advantages for trucks in industrial application. In the farming, mining, and construction industries, tire failure can cause a loss of productivity and efficiency. Tires that never leak or puncture would be a welcome advancement.

REDUCED CO2 EMISSIONS

About 90% of energy loss from tire rolling resistance comes from repeated changes in the shape of the tries as they roll. By simplifying the structure of the tire, Bridgestone was able to minimize the energy loss in these “air free concept tires.” As a result, these tires have the same level of low rolling resistance as Bridgestone pneumatic fuel efficient Ecopia tires, contributing to reductions in CO2 emissions.

ECO-CONSCIOUS

The airless concept tire is one of the initiatives aimed toward Bridgestone’s long-term vision of the use of sustainable materials. The materials used in the tire are recyclable, contributing to the efficient use of resources. No part of a non-pneumatic tire ever needs to go in the garbage, which goes hand-in-hand with Bridgestone’s effort to create a “cradle-to-cradle” system in which all tires are first recycled and then factory-refashioned into new tires. Airless tires will be among the first for which this process is a reality.

THE FUTURE

Bridgestone is advancing development of the air-free concept tire are a more environmentally friendly product than existing tires and aims to bring about commercial use in a wide range of vehicles as soon as possible.

Bridgestone believes that through effective resource usage and efficient operations alongside CO2 emissions from improved fuel efficiency, as part of its aim to achieve a balance between its business and the environment, it can continue to offer attractive products to its consumers far into the future. Bridgestone will continue to implement multiple technological innovations to help bring about a more sustainable society.

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