MONTREAL, June 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Michelin and
General Motors presented a new generation of airless wheel
technology for passenger vehicles — the MICHELIN Uptis Prototype
(or "Unique Puncture-proof Tire System") — at the Movin'On Summit
for sustainable mobility.
Michelin and GM also announced a joint research agreement
under which the companies intend to validate the Uptis Prototype
with the goal of introducing Uptis on passenger models as early as
2024.
Michelin and GM are testing the Uptis Prototype, beginning with
vehicles like the Chevrolet Bolt EV. Later this year, the companies
will initiate real-world testing of Uptis on a test fleet of Bolt
EV vehicles in Michigan.
Because Uptis is airless, the breakthrough wheel assembly
eliminates the dangerous risk of flat tires and blowouts:
- Drivers of passenger vehicles feel safer on the road.
- Operators of passenger vehicle fleets minimize downtime and
improve efficiency resulting from flat tires and near-zero levels
of maintenance.
- Society at large benefits from extraordinary environmental
savings through reduced use of raw materials for replacement tire
or spare tire production.
The Uptis Prototype represents a major advancement toward
achieving Michelin's VISION concept, which was presented at the
Movin'On Summit in 2017 as an illustration of Michelin's strategy
for research and development in sustainable mobility. The
VISION concept introduced four main pillars of innovation: airless,
connected, 3D-printed and 100% sustainable (entirely renewable or
bio-sourced materials).
"Uptis demonstrates that Michelin's vision for a future of
sustainable mobility is clearly an achievable dream," said
Florent Menegaux, chief executive
officer for Michelin Group. "Through work with strategic partners
like GM, who share our ambitions for transforming mobility, we can
seize the future today."
"General Motors is excited about the possibilities that Uptis
presents, and we are thrilled to collaborate with Michelin on this
breakthrough technology," said Steve
Kiefer, senior vice president, global purchasing and supply
chain, General Motors. "Uptis is an ideal fit for propelling the
automotive industry into the future and a great example of how our
customers benefit when we collaborate and innovate with our
supplier partners."
The Uptis Prototype is re-engineered for today's passenger
vehicles, and it is also well suited to emerging forms of mobility.
The vehicles and fleets of tomorrow — whether autonomous,
all-electric, shared service or other applications — will demand
near-zero maintenance from the tire to maximize their operating
capabilities.
"The Uptis Prototype demonstrates Michelin's capacity for
innovation — in both the mastery of these high-tech materials, and
also the development approach in close collaboration with GM, which
validates our Vision concept as a roadmap for innovation," said
Eric Vinesse, executive vice president, research and development,
Group Michelin, who revealed Uptis at the Movin'On Summit. "Uptis
represents progress toward Michelin's vision for tomorrow's
mobility, and also embodies our commitment to a better, sustainable
mobility for all."
Uptis features ground-breaking improvements in architecture and
composite materials, which enable Uptis to bear the car's weight at
road-going speeds.
These innovations combine to eliminate compressed air to support
the vehicle's load, and result in extroardinary environmental
savings: approximately 200 million tires worldwide are scrapped
prematurely every year as a result of punctures, damage from road
hazards or improper air pressure that causes uneven wear.
These advancements through the Uptis Prototype demonstrate
Michelin's and GM's shared commitment to delivering safer, more
sustainable mobility solutions.
For more information, images and video please visit:
www.michelinmedia.com/michelin-uptis.
About Michelin
Michelin, the leading mobility company, is dedicated to
enhancing its clients' mobility, sustainably; designing and
distributing the most suitable tires, services and solutions for
its clients' needs; providing digital services, maps and guides to
help enrich trips and travels and make them unique experiences; and
developing high-technology materials that serve a variety of
industries. Headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin is present
in 170 countries, has more than 125,000 employees and operates 67
tire production facilities, which together produced around 190
million tires in
2018. (www.michelin.com)
About General Motors
General Motors (NYSE: GM) is committed to delivering safer,
better and more sustainable ways for people to get around. General
Motors, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles
under the Cadillac, Chevrolet, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang and Wuling brands.
More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including
OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services;
Maven, its personal mobility brand; and Cruise, its autonomous
vehicle ride-sharing company; can be found at www.gm.com.
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SOURCE Michelin