Energy tyres: not ready to wear...
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• Michelin has developed four new Energy tyres designed for open road and on/off-road use: the XZA2 for steer axles; the XDA2 for drive axles; the XTA2 for trailers; and the XZY2 for offroad applications.
Although the new tyres will not be officially launched until next May, some are already available. The on-road versions can be obtained in limited numbers, as can the XZY2 off-readers in 295/80, 315.80 and 12R 22.5 sizes.
According to Michelin UK marketing director Frazer kyle, the latest Energy range tyres have flatter crowns with squarer shoulders to reduce rolling resistance. This, he claims, can help cut fuel consumption by as much as 6.0%. They are also said to perform better during braking—and to extend open-road service life by some 30%.
Compared with the old range, the new models place much more rubber on the road surface, are more resistant to damage from flint and pebbles and have stronger sidewalls, says Michelin. Gone are the old zig-zag tread forms—the new patterns are 10% wider and 13% deeper, which increases the volume of useable rubber.
While the XZA2 and XTA2 have three central block bands, those of the trailer tyre are much broader with much narrower gaps; the steer tyres' bands are deeper and more pronounced.
The new drive-axle tyre (XDA2) has two sets of bands, with the larger gaps down the centre and next to the shoulder bands.
All the new models, including the XZY2 off roaders, have the usual wavy "sinusoid" ridges down the central gaps to eject grit and stones.
Thicker rubber in the crown area and in exposed parts of the sidewalls protects the casings against abrasion as well as enhancing their remould capability.
Michelin has also introduced a much harder rubber compound to improve the tyres' resistance to abrasive road surfaces and off-road damage.
In the XZY2's case the new tread pattern, with its offset rubber block ribs. wide, deep central grooves and pronounced wavy ridge stone ejectors, is said to give good grip on and off-road, better steering in mud and on loose soil and improved handling.
Michelin currently supports its customers through ATS and is keen to increase the number of fleet operators which are using its pence-per-kilometre service packages.
Improved tyre maintenance can help reduce fleet running costs. Michelin adds that one way to extend the life of tyres in service is through the on-board monitoring of pressures, and to some extent temperatures.