Even though the airless tire concept has been around since 2005, it was only in early 2015 that they have been made available to the public consumer. Tire giant Michelin was the pioneers of this concept, and Hankook recently announced that their airless tires should “hit the market very, very soon.” Still, a car tire without air is a somewhat paradoxical thought. It seems obvious that an airless tire, also known as non-pneumatic tires, are those not supported by air pressure.

However, these tires do need something to support them. Bridgestone, another manufacturer developing this concept claims that their ties feature a “unique spoke structure designed to support the weight of a vehicle, effectively eliminating the need to periodically refill the tires with air”. Other brands have similar designs in place. Today, airless tires are used in certain lawnmowers and golf carts, but the possibility of then being created for regular vehicles is now slowly becoming a reality.

With new technological developments, the disadvantages once associated with airless tires have been severely minimized. The relative lack of suspension as opposed to regular tires, as well as the heat buildup that was a common problem in airless tires have been significantly minimized. Currently the benefits of using the modified airless tires far outweigh the disadvantages. Perhaps the largest advantage of these airless tires is that they are environmentally friendly, made with 100 % recyclable material. According to Bridgestone, in the same article linked above, “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.”

Secondly, these tires promise reduced carbon emissions. This is due to the simpler structure of airless tires, leading to fewer changes in shape. In the case of regular tires, the energy loss felt comes from the changes shape of tires as they roll. Thus, the simpler structure and subsequent decreased shape changes allows for a reduced energy loss overall. Even in terms of production, Hankook claims that the production of airless tires is halved from the production of regular pneumatic tires. Thus the footprint left behind due to production is also minimized, supporting the eco-conscious aspect of these tires.

With their focus on sustainability, it seems as though airless tires are a revolutionizing concept in auto-production. With increased functionality and a much more positive impact on the environment, we are excited for these tires to be welcomes into the consumer market!