The Michelin Tweel: the future of tyres is UGLY!

Michelin invented the radial tyre fifty years ago. The first tubeless tyre was invented 100 years ago. Now the tyre has been reinvented again.

The next step in tyre technology has been unveiled. The Tweel is a simple looking hub and spoke design which eliminates the need for air pressure.

How does it work?

Flexible spokes are fused with a flexible wheel which deforms to absorb shock. The Tweel also has a unique capability to have different vertical and lateral stiffness.

Vertical stiffness affects ride comfort, and lateral stiffness affects handling and cornering. The ability to tune these two parameters differently allows the best of both worlds, ride comfort and superb handling!

It sounds good and works well, but I have to say it looks pretty ugly.

Perhaps Michelin could find some way to eliminate those gaping see-through holes for the final production model. Maybe with a covered sidewall. I think the wheel is currently ‘naked’ to demonstrate how the inner spokes bend across surfaces.

The Tweel is not only for cars. Bulldozers can use them too.

Works well over rocky terrains like this, so it should work well for 4WDs too. You can see how the outer thread and the spokes bend to go over the uneven surface.

The Tweel on an Audi. Because of the spokes I think we can say goodbye to the large sports rims with low profile tyres look. The Tweel seems to use a small hub with large spokes.

An Audi A4 on the track running on Tweels. Michelin has increased lateral stiffness over normal air-pressure tyres by a factor of FIVE, giving the car unbelievable handling properties.

How far are we from mass-production and how much will it cost? Michelin says radial tyres will be the standard for a long long time to come, but research gained from the Tweel is helping it develop reinvent the way future vehicles move. Things like checking tyre pressure, fixing flat tyres, and balancing between traction and comfort could all fade into memory.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • Kenneth on Jul 22, 2005 at 2:47 pm

    FUGLY looking tyre. but hell… i can imagine why it could improve handling and why it will be the way of the future.

    "Perhaps Michelin could find some way to eliminate those gaping see-through holes for the final production model"

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  • deutsche volk on Jul 22, 2005 at 3:08 pm

    what will happen when the tyres go on mud, rocky places,…when the inside hole filled with tiny rocks/unwanted hard objects??..what will happen with big huge alloy rims?did air that we breath is gettin much2 less that ppl have to invent this kinda thing??

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  • AlexC on Jul 22, 2005 at 3:34 pm

    Very innovative… read this article some time ago… is there such thing as 'low profile' tweel??? it'll compensate for the look at least, and maybe handling??? coz if you see the audi pic above going through corners, the degree of tilt is quite alot… one thing good though, the track surface of this tyre is meant to be rethread, means cheaper tyres too… :)

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  • AlexC: Tyres can't help with body roll… that's the job of suspension.

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  • AlexC on Jul 22, 2005 at 4:46 pm

    Paul,

    Understand your point… But if you take a closer look at the pic, there are quite a lot of dampening there on the front tyres compared to rear, which contributes to the degree of tilt in car… thats why low profiles tyres are for… i'm sure we're all car enthusiast, maybe its just how this tweel works… :)

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  • steelrage on Jul 22, 2005 at 5:07 pm

    sounds like a good idea.. and yes the visible spokes via the huge void in the side does make it look funny man… is this for real? but i guess covering up the sides seem to be a good idea since entering muck and dirt would probably stop it from compressing and absorbing shock that well.

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  • Chedi on Jul 22, 2005 at 5:30 pm

    Bosses will no longer accept flat tyres as an excuse for not being punctual at work!

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  • alexc: low profile tyres are less likely to stretch laterally. i presume michelin already tuned the lateral stiffness nicely.

    i think the audi really driving quite crazily… imagine the body tilting like that.

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  • marquis on Jul 22, 2005 at 7:45 pm

    it looks real ugly.

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  • In term of invention yes it's a good invention actually… in term of actual or daily usage… it's not practical at all… highway use only, yes… bulldozer don't care if there is mud or stone stuck in the middle… they don't speeding until 200km/h… they don't take corners as crazy as what we did… so? I'll prefer the current design… Falken Azenis…

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  • sad malaysian driver on Jul 22, 2005 at 8:35 pm

    haha… just think what the security people will have to compensate on security measures. no more tyre puncturing nail systems to stop people from stealing cars, have to change to super heat inducing system to melt the suckers, hahaha!!! what fun!!!

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  • The bulldozer's tweel look nicer than the Audi's due to the longer inner spokes…Say goodbye to 18" and 20" wheels.

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  • mitsu_galant_2000 on Jul 22, 2005 at 10:35 pm

    what so FUGLY lah.. haha..

    cepat botaklah tayar macam nih.. :p

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  • Fabian on Jul 22, 2005 at 10:36 pm

    Easy la balik kampung like this. Village ppl will then see the tweel like "OMG what the heck is that….?????"

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  • akari on Jul 22, 2005 at 11:22 pm

    cannot imagine how freak this install on my current car @@

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  • Leong on Jul 23, 2005 at 1:50 am

    Cool!!! Now I don't need to change spare tyre in the middle of the night at 2 am, in remote road near jungle where I was robbed..

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  • wa sea hokkien lang on Jul 23, 2005 at 9:22 am

    i love it these tyres can go tru 3 inch spike without a problem

    those who say it freaks is low minded , canot accept new things no wonder kutuk proton not dare to change…. but their mind still not change…

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  • Joshua on Jul 23, 2005 at 6:55 pm

    the bulldozer looks better with those wheels compared to the audi

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  • Jacqueline on Jul 23, 2005 at 8:10 pm

    well, a lot of restriction…i think….whay happen when tree branches got stuck between the hole within the tire gap???what might happen??so everytime u wan a ride..u have to go round ur car to check that no sharp and harmful object nearly by as the tire…seems like won;t be able to take in tough objects….

    i dunnno…jus a thought i wan to share….

    thanx for that info anyway…

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  • Lee Wye Jon on Jul 24, 2005 at 9:05 am

    aisay… doubt they will leave the tyres naked lah… hehehe… like that oso wanna complain ah?

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  • Fabian on Jul 24, 2005 at 6:41 pm

    But one thing ah…my friend's business sure lingkup one. No one to buy his N2 gas if every car is installed with these tweels. Sayang man…

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  • dSaint on Jul 25, 2005 at 8:45 pm

    wah lau… thats pretty cool. but i wonder with this new tech, would the tyres be cheaper?

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  • faizal on Jul 25, 2005 at 10:08 pm

    wei i am sure they will cover up those holes la its just to show how it works…. if they dont cover up those holes then that is one hell of a fugly tyre…

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  • wa sea hokkien lang on Jul 26, 2005 at 7:05 am

    agree want faizal say

    when that thing approve safety it will cover that tyre all……

    now it still test…

    do you know the first car was totally naked and the most ugly 1….

    but now how's the car look?

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  • ezbuG on Jul 26, 2005 at 11:18 pm

    Guyz…,

    This is a testing model. Definately Michelin will do a necessary things to make it nicer and presentable.

    The tweel is naked might be because of michelin need to monitor any defect or need to improve sumthin before come out with any production. Just wait n see how's the real or the production model's gonna be.

    I think, this gonna be much better compare to normal tyres and if this tyres can be retread, it's definately worth buying. Hopefully, we can feels better performance (beside lowered our car) either for the speeding or cornering.

    Cheers..

    'I think the wheel is currently ‘naked’ to demonstrate how the inner spokes bend across surfaces.'

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  • tommy on Jul 28, 2005 at 7:39 am

    nice. heavier I guess.

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  • Dragster Dave on Oct 02, 2005 at 11:11 pm

    I want some!

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  • Wern_jun on Nov 28, 2005 at 8:25 pm

    This invention was..a great idea that change the whole way of wheeling,if it's in production it might cost higher then normal tyre,coz techy product mean's more level to manufactured..but what is the tweel made of,and i corncern that it might has a lifetime or milage to cover,i believe if there is over consuming this tweel it might break up..it that true?

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  • hello ther could someone send in the the materials used for the manufacturing of this tyre em on a seminar………..

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  • jacob on Nov 19, 2009 at 9:33 pm

    That is not a bulldozer, it is a Skid Steer….

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  • Asad Farooq on Jul 21, 2010 at 8:46 pm

    Its amazing……………………………

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  • what if the car will stay too long on uneven surface or on a rock for instance…..Wouldnt those spokes get bent???

    And the tyre looks sure pretty thin how long would it last???

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  • dredwerkz on Dec 04, 2010 at 4:17 am

    And once again, mankind invents wheel… like the idea tho…

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  • Max Gassman on Mar 02, 2012 at 9:45 am

    The tweel should be sold as a spare tire for automobiles in the aftermarket. The purchaser of the tweel could buy insurance to cover the tweel use, since it is still in the development stage.

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  • keith on Mar 25, 2017 at 9:30 pm

    I think its the right thing to do, with all cars to go around before you drive, so its not only this wheel. this tyre in my view is much tougher than the pressure tyres we know. more advantages to it

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  • keith on Mar 25, 2017 at 9:34 pm

    I like it, great innovation. will do much good in Africa.

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