Bridgestone trials ‘air free concept’ tire

Tokyo – Bridgestone is trialling its airless concept tire on a compact electric vehicle (EV) in Japan with the aim to further develop the tire in the near future.

“Air Free Concept” tire has been installed on an ultra-compact EV operated by Japanese petroleum company Idemitsu Kosan at its Chiba factory as a mobile vehicle on the premises.

The trial, said Bridgestone 8 Feb, is for the purpose of “practical use experiment” for the highly sustainable tire.

The concept tire aims to eliminate the need for maintenance such as air pressure management.

It features “specially shaped spokes” to support load and the rubber surface can be retreaded, said Bridgestone.

Furthermore, the tire maker said it used a “newly developed recyclable resin” for the spokes to contribute to the sustainability of the product.

According to Bridgestone, Idemitsu Kosan aims to promote sustainability through innovation and resource recycling solutions.

“The ‘Air Free Concept’ developed by Bridgestone is environmentally friendly, and we believe it is highly compatible with our vision,” said Akira Oishi, general manager, mobility strategy office, Idemitsu Kosan.

In addition, puncture-free tires contribute to reducing the risk of vehicle stoppages and are expected to improve utility value for customers, he added.

The two companies plan to carry out further joint demonstration experiments in the future with the aim to install the tires on a currently under development ultra-compact EV to be used by Idemitsu Kosan.