Michelin is launching a new Class 8 (a US market heavy truck category) drive tyre with a tread claimed to regenerate itself as it wears. The new tyre, branded XDA5 was unveiled yesterday (24 August) at a truck show in Dallas, Texas.
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Michelin said it uses patented design and manufacturing techniques to mould the tread of the XDA5 in three dimensions.
“As the tyre wears, the tread reveals new grooves and tread blocks, effectively giving the tyre a second life-self- regenerating to improve wet, worn traction. This regenerating tread design keeps the tyre in service longer before retreading, an impressive 30% improvement in tread life over other drive tyres that are commercially available,” it said.
The company claims improved safety and lower costs for truck fleets and owner operators.
“Incorporating three dimensional features into the tyre tread that must interact with each other as the tyre rolls down the highway required Michelin to develop additional innovations in our manufacturing processes,” said the suppplier’s Americas truck tyres chief operating officer Jean- Michel Guillon. “The result is a sophisticated tread design that works to preserve itself as it performs. We are very excited to bring this technology to the marketplace as it dramatically raises the bar for high mileage tyres.”
The self-regenerating mechanism gives the new XDA5 tyre renewed grip, enhanced worn traction, and more usable tread, which ultimately results in longer life, Michelin claimed.
It also has a footprint over 10% wider than its predecessor, delivering a larger contact patch and, in turn, claimed superior stability and handling throughout the life of the tyre.
The XDA5 tyre will be available in North America in four sizes, 275/80R22.5, 11R22.5, 275/80R24.5 and 11R24.5 followed, next year, by a 305/75R24.5 LRJ version, created expressly to accommodate Mexico’s higher load-carrying demands.
