As a car breakdown cover provider, here at startrescue.co.uk we know how often tyre punctures cause breakdowns; very often indeed. So Bridgestone’s latest Air Free Concept Tyre is of great interest to us – as it will be to many motorists.
The new design features a spring-like plastic and resin construct, which eliminates the risk of a puncture and may have better shock absorption properties than regular tyres. However, the new concept does not offer the same down force as a normal tyre, and may wear out more quickly.
The first incarnation of Bridgestone’s airless tyre was seen in 2011, a design that could bear up to 220lbs. It had a disappointing top speed of just 3.7mph.
The new version, however, can deal with 904lbs and can travel at 37mph. It is still a long way from being a marketable product; there is simply no way the regular tyre will be replaced until an airless one meets and exceeds the capability and durability of the old fashioned design.
Airless tyres are not new, of course. Michelin brought us the ‘tweel’ (‘tyre’ and ‘wheel’ combined), a design which the French tyre maker says possesses similar characteristics to pneumatic tyres.
The biggest hurdles for airless tyres relate to too much ground resistance and a lack of suspension when compared to pneumatic tyres. Heat build-up can also be a problem for airless tyres.
At present non-pneumatic tyres are only found on very low-speed vehicles such as lawnmowers and golf carts. But if a manufacturer does develop a useable airless tyre for regular cars they could stand to make a great deal of money.
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