Michelin

20:48 July 26, 2009 PDT

The Circulus concept design by Santosh Chawla

Did you marvel at the impressive cornering and maneuverability of the Dyson Ball when it first raced around the floor in TV ads? If such a ball design can take a vacuum cleaner to places no others would dare to go, what could such a thing could do for a car? Graphic designer Santosh Chawla has incorporated a similar principle into his hydrogen powered Circulus concept car design. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Phoenix: Concept vehicle for a brave new world

By Jeff Salton

19:33 July 22, 2009 PDT

The Phoenix concept car was a stunning entrant in the 2009 Michelin Challenge Design

First appearing in the Michelin Challenge Design earlier this year, the Phoenix concept features an orbital omni-directional four-wheel-drive system which allows for several types of motion - apart from moving forwards and backwards, it can rotate around its own axis and move sideways. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Michelin Tweel becomes Lunar Wheel for NASA Lunar Rover

By Mike Hanlon

13:53 February 14, 2009 PST

Michelin Tweel becomes Lunar Wheel for NASA Lunar Rover

The Tweel is an non-pneumatic Tire/WhEEL combo which offers an idiot-proof, no-maintenance, easily-retreadable tire for consumers and the holy grail for the military - a tire that can't be “shot out.” You won't see the Tweel on your sandmobile any time soon because it has noise, vibration, heat and wear problems at highway speeds, but its unique construction enables it to be specifically engineered with ideal characteristics for highly specialized low speed applications. The ultimate badge of credibility was bestowed on the design when it rolled down Pennsylvania Avenue on NASA’s Small Pressurized Lunar Rover prototype during the Obama presidential inauguration. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Michelin Active Wheel System to hit roads in 2010

By Paul Evans

23:06 December 2, 2008 PST

Known to our readers for transport innovations like the Tweel airless tire, Michelin has announced that it will partner to bring an affordable electric car powered by its Active Wheel System to the roads in 2010. Featuring two electric motors housed within the wheel, one for traction and braking and the other for electric active suspension control, the system has revolutionary potential - no more engine under the hood, no more traditional suspension system, and no more gearbox or transmission as all the essential components have been integrated into the wheel itself. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Renault's all-electric Z.E. Concept Car

By Noel McKeegan

17:46 October 3, 2008 PDT

Renault has taken a holistic approach to energy saving with its latest concept car. Based on the new Kangoo be bop, the Z.E. (Zero Emission) Concept incorporates a number of innovations across all aspects of the vehicle to ensure optimum range is achieved from the lithium-ion battery powered 70kW (95hp) electric motor. These include the use of heat-reflective paint, acid green-tinted glass and air-insulated body panels designed to reduce reliance on energy-sapping climate control systems, along with roof-mounted solar panels, extensive use of LEDs and aerodynamic enhancements like the replacement of drag-producing exterior mirrors with low-energy cameras. There's also an on-board electric scooter that uses the car's charging system and provides an even greener option for short city trips. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Greener motoring at the 2008 British Motor Show

By Noel McKeegan

23:32 June 29, 2008 PDT

Michelin will demonstrate the benefits of its latest low-rolling resistance tyres

With soaring oil prices hitting hard at the bowser and low-emissions, energy-efficient vehicles evolving rapidly from a fringe sector to a mainstream concern, it's no surprise to learn that this year's British International Motor Show will include a pavilion devoted to the future of greener motoring. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

The TWEEL - radical new wheel technology (UPDATED)

By Mike Hanlon

Updated April 29, 2005 Michelin has showcased a potentially disruptive technology with significant ramifications for the future for mobility: an airless, integrated tyre and wheel combination dubbed the TWEEL (i.e. Tyre/WhEEL) . The Tweel promises performance levels beyond those possible with conventional pneumatic technology. The first commercial applications of the Tweel will be in lower-speed, lower-weight vehicles such as the iBOT mobility device and Segway's Concept Centaur. Designed by Segway-inventor Dean Kamen, the iBOT mobility device has the ability to climb stairs and navigate uneven terrain, offering mobility freedom impossible with traditional wheelchairs.

Additionally, Segway's Concept Centaur, a prototype that applies self-balancing technology to a four-wheel device, has also been equipped with Tweel to increase its performance potential. Read More