Toyota in race to develop airless tyres

Toyota has announced that it is developing airless tyres that will slash the weight of a typical tyre and alloy wheel by as much as 30 per cent.

The weight saved, around 5kg per wheel, will help offset the additional mass associated with pure-electric vehicles -- chiefly heavy batteries -- and could also help the Japanese car-maker fit in-hub electric motors.

Developed in cooperation with its suppliers, Toyota's next-generation airless tyres made their global debut on the recent Fine-Comfort Ride concept that was unveiled at last week's Tokyo motor show.

The new technology works by wrapping a band of rubber around a plastic-aluminium hub.

Developed in cooperation with Sumitomo Rubber, according to Toyota the airless tyres are already being tested on Japanese roads on 'kei' micro-cars and golf carts for an application on small pure-electric vehicles.

Currently, Toyota hopes the technology will be commercially available as soon as 2020.

Toyota and Sumitomo are not the only companies developing airless tyres.

Michelin already offers its Tweel tech on lawnmowers, golf carts and construction machines, but Toyota is thought to be the first to be racing to develop the tech for passenger car use.

Biggest challenge for engineers developing airless tyres is the higher levels of rolling resistance compared to conventional tyres, with some recording 20 per cent higher rolling resistance.

What isn't an issue is cost.

According to reports, Sumitomo Rubber says that even in its early development the airless tyre is already comparable in price to traditional pneumatic tyres. This means that in the future, airless tyres could be cheaper than their heavier counterparts.