- General Motors and Michelin have announced MICHELIN Uptis Prototype, which is an airless technology that eliminates flats and blowouts
One of the worst feelings while driving is getting a flat tire while you are driving down a highway or busy road. Either you have to pull over and call roadside assistance and many people go through the tedious effort of changing the tire themselves. General Motors and Michelin are solving this problem with Uptis.
What is Uptis? At the Movin’On Summit for sustainable mobility, General Motors and Michelin have unveiled a new generation of airless wheel technology called the MICHELIN Uptis Prototype. “Uptis” stands for Unique Puncture-proof Tire System.
GM is intending to develop this airless wheel assembly with Michelin and it should be introduced on passenger vehicles as early as 2024. And later this year, GM is going to initiate real-world testing and validation on the Uptis Prototype on a Michigan test fleet of Chevrolet Bolt EVs.
“General Motors is excited about the possibilities that Uptis presents, and we are thrilled to collaborate with Michelin on this breakthrough technology,” said Steven Kiefer — who is an SVP of Global Purchasing and Supply Chain at General Motors. “Uptis is an ideal fit for propelling the automotive industry into the future and a great example of how our customers benefit when we collaborate and innovate with our supplier partners.”
The airless technology makes the Uptis Prototype eliminate flats and blowouts. And this means that Uptis offers significant potential for reducing the use of raw materials and waste — which contributes to GM’s vision for a world without crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion.
