29 Jun 2023
Puncture-proof Uptis being fitted on vehicles operated by French postal service
Clermont-Ferrand, France – Michelin has introduced a trial road-application of its Uptis airless tire in France: equipping vehicles used by the country's postal service La Poste.
The puncture-proof tires will be fitted on 40 delivery vans in the Hauts-de-France region, North of France, by the end of 2024, said Michelin 27 June.
Three initial vehicles were put into circulation as of 27 June, within the framework of a two-year partnership between La Poste and Michelin.
The rollout follows Michelin’s partnership with a DHL postal service in Singapore, which was launched earlier this year.
Michelin said its main target market for the Uptis prototype is light truck fleets intended for professional use, and particularly deliveries.
Based on 50 patents covering tire-structure and materials, Uptis airless technology is part of Michelin’s vision of a “fully sustainable” tire by 2050.
Key to the performance of the airless tire is the use of resin-reinforced fiberglass spokes as load-bearing elements.
According to Michelin, Uptis is currently the only airless tire in the world to travel on open roads, under real conditions.
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