Plans Set For First Airless Tire Sales In U.S.
March 2013 – Polaris and Resilient Technologies, a company owned by Polaris, has debuted the first production airless tire that will be commercially available in the United States next year.
The Non-Pneumatic Tire, similar to the Tweel from Michelin, is the brainchild of Resilient Tech, which is based in Wisconsin.
The tire itself utilizes a flexible mesh carcass that is designed to support and carry the weight of the vehicle, driver and load. Ideally suited for the military because of its ability to withstand punctures on any terrain, this new tire offers the same type of ride as other pneumatic tires.
Polaris has stated that they plan on using the new tires for their ATV lineup, but they are considering other uses as well. It would be a good fit for off-road vehicle use, farms and many other applications. It will be interesting to see where this leads in the next year.