1
NEWS
Airless tyre story runs flat
US ATV and snowmobile maker Polaris to market never-flat wheel in 2014? Don't hold your breathThe airless tyre is back. Again. Every now and again the never-flat tyre story breaks loose for a run around the global media before disappearing into the no-show tray, to lie in waiting for another slow news day. The last couple of months, it’s been out again, appearing late last year in Minneapolis’s Star Tribune before going on to Fox News in the US, London’s Daily Mail and others.
It’s a great story, the idea of no more flat tyres. Michelin and Bridgestone among others have been working on replacing the pump-up tyre with odd looking webbed rubber and plastic rims for years. This time round, there’s bonus news value in a small all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and snowmobile manufacturer appearing to beat the big guys to the punch.
In October 2012, Polaris Industries of Medina, MN pulled the wraps off its “never-flat” non-pneumatic tyre (NPT) at a US Army Expo in Washington. The rim comprises a honeycomb hex matrix of plastic ringed by a thick, solid rubber “tyre”. Tough but tender, it’s designed to absorb impact and cushion ride in place of the normal balloon tyre. It’s Tonka-tough, passing tests including an 8000km drive after taking a .50-calibre bullet and 1600km with a railroad spike in it. That’s why Polaris is initially targeting military agencies.
But reports also abound that it will be launched into the consumer mass market in 2014. What’s been missing amid all the excitement is any sign of an official company announcement to that effect.
“We are, as you can imagine, very excited about the new Polaris NPTs,” John Ramsey, the company’s Australasian corporate and government manager, told motoring.com.au. “[But] we’re still evaluating the ride characteristics associated with wheels and tyres with no air cushioning. Early indications are very positive, but we still want to run some serious kilometres over a longer period on the machines with NPTs to determine long term effects on suspension and handling.”
He confirmed the company has a number of agencies “very interested”, particularly among emergency services, defence, mining and agriculture. Not only do they eliminate the need for repairs, “they also offer a much longer life or tread serviceability versus conventional tyres. In the most harsh environments the Polaris NPTs will provide a unique option for ATV and UTV users.”
Commercial release of the NPT hasn’t yet been decided, Mr Ramsey added. “But we are keen to bring them to market as soon as possible.”
Watch this and many other spaces...
Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...
Share this article
Written byJeremy Bass
See all articlesOur team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Subscribe todayDisclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Contact
Advertise with us
Local marketplaces
International marketplaces
Scan to download the carsales app
Want more info? Here’s our app landing page
App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo
are trademarks of Google LLC.