Update: While our original story sources mentioned that Florent Menegaux had begun talks with Tesla to test its Uptis airless tires, Michelin has since reached out to us and denied this. We are leaving the story up with this update at the top, and providing various sources for our readers. The original article is intact below:
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Michelin, one of the world’s largest tire manufacturers, recently confirmed in an interview with its CEO Florent Menegaux that it has begun talks about testing its Uptis airless tire technology on Tesla vehicles.
Michelin has so far been testing the Uptis tires on the Chevy Bolt and has also opened talks with GM for use on their EVs. So far, these tires are still all prototypes, so nothing for consumers just yet, but they could hit the market as early as the end of this year. Tesla has previously tested Goodyear’s airless tires in 2021.
Advantages of Uptis Tires
The Uptis (Unique Puncture-Proof Tire System) is a rather unique design that is airless, puncture-proof, and based on an open cell design.
Uptis essentially uses the strength of a unique composite, which has a rubber tread bonded to it. On the inner side of the tire is a network of flexible spokes that bend, and flex as required by road conditions and car weight.
When the tire rolls forward, it naturally flexes down and around small obstacles, providing far more flexibility than standard tires with air inside them. On top of that, they are uniquely puncture-proof, as there is no air to be lost if the tire rolls over a sharp object.
Michelin expects Uptis tires to last roughly 3 times longer than conventional tires, reducing tire waste and lowering emissions from tread wear. This will also help reduce the number of tires sent to scrapyards, contributing towards sustainable practices.
Advantages for Tesla
Uptis tires are also lighter and more aerodynamically efficient than regular tires – the open-cell design notwithstanding. Interestingly enough, many would think that the open cells would cause additional drag, but initial testing on EVs from Michelin has been “described as positive”.
If the tires truly do reduce drag, or at least cause similar amounts of drag to conventional tires, the reduced weight of airless tires could improve efficiency for EVs even further. This is a tire to watch if you’re interested in increasing your own Tesla’s range.
Menegaux also mentioned that these airless tires would likely be limited to “certain types of applications”, though he didn’t mention which application or why they’d be limited. It’s possible it could be limited to certain weather conditions or types of roads. They could possibly be a good fit for autonomous vehicles, like Tesla’s upcoming Robotaxi, which is set to be revealed on 8/8.
