Nissan Innovates with New Tire Technology

Photo Source: NISSAN

John Boyd Dunlop is credited with inventing the first pragmatic pneumatic tire in 1888 in Ireland, simply to give his young son a smoother bike ride over rough pavements. Since that time, many companies and their engineers have toiled to improve that design and its related components. Now, manufacturers may be on the cusp of a game-changing breakthrough of that traditional pneumatic design. 

Airless tires have been talked about for years, but it seems the concept is gaining popularity lately. Indeed, Nissan has patented a new, durable airless tire design, which it says could be used on cars, trucks, and even motorcycles. The company now joins Goodyear and Michelin in innovation. 

The shift toward airless tires is driven by safety, regulatory compliance, and environmental benefits, reducing both frequent replacements and accidents. The development and interest in airless tire technology among numerous manufacturers, including Ford, stem from the desire to mitigate accidents due to tire bursts and to navigate stringent Euro 7 emission regulations, with the added environmental benefit of reduced tire replacements due to enhanced durability.

The Future of Tires

Very soon, drivers might not need to worry about a flat tire as Nissan has filed a patent for a new airless tire with the World Intellectual Property Organization. However, this is not new since Goodyear was the first to make them in 2022, followed by Michelin a year later (2023). Nissan’s concept of the airless tire is quite similar to the other two tire manufacturers. It depends on a series of spokes, arranged in a way that absorbs all the force and impact from bumps while also providing sufficient grip. The spoke construction can be seen from the side due to the absence of a sidewall.

One major challenge, as per the Japanese automaker, was the amount of force acting against the spokes closest to the road. Fortunately, the answer to the problem is to increase the strength of the outer edge of the tire, but Nissan explains that doing so could reduce the contact patch, thus proving to be problematic when steering the vehicle. A more concrete solution then would be to have various elastic spokes between the wheel and the tread, which can absorb the load acting on the tire. This way, the tread suffers reduced wear and tear. In fact, Ford is in the process of developing wheels specifically for airless tires.

The Need for Airless Tires

With so many parties interested in the airless tire technology, readers might wonder what’s the significance. Of course, one of the benefits is to avoid dependence on air or nitrogen to reduce accidents caused as a result of tire bursts. However, the main reason is most likely the incoming Euro 7 emission regulations known for strict rules for brakes and tires. 

Several brands have protested against the unrealistic regulations, and seem to have won the battle. Nonetheless, from a safety point of view, airless tires will not get damaged as frequently as air tires, which is a boon for the environment in the long run since they will not require as much replacing as air tires.

Nissan is pushing the limits of conventional mobility, and if you seek to follow the company’s venture, please come visit Southern Team Nissan of New River Valley. We have a friendly and knowledgeable sales team that will make your time buying, leasing, or selling needs an absolute breeze for anything on our new vehicle inventory. Perhaps you are considering one of our wonderful used vehicles to take home. We have a plethora of options to choose from.