Posted on 01/11/2022 10:38:10 AM PST by Red Badger
Hankook showed the latest iteration of its i-Flex airless tire at CES 2022Hankook VIEW 3 IMAGES
Anyone who has had to change a tire on the side of a busy road, possibly in the sweltering heat or pouring rain, will be longing for the day when flats are a thing of the past. Hankook has been working to make such a future a reality for over a decade now, and has used CES 2022 to show the latest version of its airless i-Flex concept tire.
To showcase the tire at CES, Hankook teamed up with fellow countryman Hyundai, fitting them to four large Plug & Drive (PnD) modules on the L7, a micro-mobility concept with infinite wheel rotation capabilities allowing it to change directions instantly, even in restricted spaces. As such the tire isn’t sized for cars, but was designed in a smaller 10-inch format tailored for such applications.
With a diameter of 400 mm (15.7 in) and width of 105 mm (4.1 in), the concept non-pneumatic tire (NPT) was developed based on biomimetic studies and testing to maximize shock absorption and load-bearing capabilities. The result is a multi-layer interlocking spoke design inspired by the cellular structure of living organisms that provides support in three dimensions for greater shock absorption, while hexagonal and tetragonal cell structures of different stiffnesses combine to provide stability under loads.
(Excerpt) Read more at newatlas.com ...
Tire Ping!.....................
Great concept. The current problem I believe, is it fatigues.
How do we clear up the mud and other stuff that will surely collect within that matrix? It’s going to really Obama up the tire balance.
Since you can’t get a flat, I wonder how far down you can wear the tires before you have to replace them? And can they be simply recapped? Could prove cheaper than air tires in the long run.
Seems like it will get stones or mud in it and be out of balance all the time.
looks great for some place warm that never sees rain.
pack those full of ice and they are rocks on wheels.
Definitely need to have a snow tire day with the Yankees. Call it HanKee Day.
Maybe the tire squashing is enough,to work the mud and debris out, but till it happens, the ba.ancd of,the wheel will be off for sure
“Seems like it will get stones or mud in it and be out of balance all the time.”
Yep, my aluminum rims get a little snow in them and they bounce like crazy
Possibly the tire flexes and is self cleaning and it throws out the mud and snow??
Those will do real well around here packed with mud or ice.
Going to take a long time to clean that thing up with a bottle brush.
Great concept. The current problem I believe, is it fatigues.
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That makes sense. Would probably warp (and possibly dry rot) if parked for two long under load in one place. Also, the tread is going to wear down just like any other tire, I’m sure. So it seems to me the only main benefit is avoiding flats
Like an improved version of the Flintstone 500
Correct Sir.
how much different is it compares to runflats?
It will work if you put one inside a regular tire.
Wheels for these will have to be 2-piece........
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