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Michelin plans to introduce the Unique Puncture-proof Tire System or Uptis commercially in the next few years, and this could happen at the launch of the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt.
That confirmation, or should we say a hope, came from Alexis Garcin, president of Michelin North America. In an interview with CNN Business, Garcin is quoted as saying that Michelin “wanted to present the next generation of the Chevrolet Bolt with airless tires.” He also said it could happen in the next three to five years.
For the record, Chevrolet has updated the Bolt in 2021, along with the introduction of a slightly taller version, the Bolt EUV.
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That said, a new generation model as early as 2025 might be possible, but Chevrolet has not confirmed that timeline nor will it carry the Bolt nameplate. However, a new Chevy with airless tires is out of reach, considering that Michelin already used the Bolt as its testbed in 2019.
The Chevy Bolt isn’t the only car to sport Michelin Uptis tires. Back in 2021, the Mini Cooper SE was ridden on public roads while wearing stuffy rubber (and no sidewalls).
The Michelin Uptis airless tire was first officially introduced in 2019, but its development goes back a decade, and rightfully so.
As Michelin Group Scientific and Technical Communications Director Cyrille Roget previously explained, the Uptis consists of a belt and spokes, the latter of which is made of several thin and strong fiberglass to support the weight of the vehicle. To protect its invention, Michelin apparently applied for 50 patents for its development.
The main advantage of Uptis airless tires is that they are puncture resistant. Punctures and other factors that cause rapid pressure loss or irregular wear cause a total of 200 million tires to not reach their intended destination. The introduction of airless tires can prevent wastage in terms of cost, materials and energy used to make tires.
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