Michelin, Polaris, Hankook and Bridgestone are among the manufacturers who have delved into the arena of airless tyres. Michelin’s Twheel has been used for military application on Humvees (it’s not great getting a flat in enemy territory) and in November 2014 Michelin opened the first plant dedicated to production of airless tyres for use in the agricultural and construction markets.
It’s anyone’s guess if airless tyres will ever become the new normal, however Hankook seems the closest to developing consumer ready non-pneumatic tyres for everyday road use with their iFlex prototype that has successfully completed its ride and handling tests.
In the video below, originally released in 2012, Twheels are being used for some off-road fun: