Wouldnt it be great if you never had to worry about a flat tire?
You could drive anywhere, roaming the globe, traveling to remote locations without a worry.
Well, stop dreaming.
And theyre called airless tires.
Its a simple solution: if theres no air in the tires, they cant pop.
Well, youll need to curb your enthusiasm a little.
While airless tires exist, theyre not the silver bullet we hoped for at least for now.
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First off, airless tires also called non-pneumatic tires (NPTs) have been around for a while.
it’s possible for you to find them inlawn mowers,golf carts,military vehicles, and evenbicycles.
So why are we talking about them now?
Why all the fuss?
First up, theres the obvious advantage: no more flat tires.
There are also no blowouts or air loss failures that can result in road hazards.
Airless tires are also more environmentally friendly.
So whats the catch?
Well, there are a few.
This leads to more drag on the vehicle and higher fuel consumption.
So youd need to prepare for a bumpy and even uncomfortable ride.
Finally, theyre expected to come with a higher price tag.
What can we expect in the future?
Goodyear plans to have them ready by2030, and Michelin by2024.
Story byIoanna Lykiardopoulou
Ioanna is a writer at TNW.
With a background in the humanities, she has a soft spot for social impact-enabling technologies.
