New X Line Energy tyres could save £795 per truck
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By Will Shiers MICHELIN HAS SAID its new X Line Energy range of long-haul truck and trailer tyres are its most efficient yet. The manufacturer said they could slash operators’ fuel bills by €660 (£530) per truck per year when compared with the X Energy SaverGreen tyres they are replacing. It added that a further €330 (£265) will be achieved by the tyres’ longer lifespan. These figures are based on a fiveaxle 40-tonne artic covering 130,000km a year.
As well as improved wear and lower rollingresistance characteristics, Michelin said its X Line Energy T (trailer) tyres are safer.
The manufacturer demonstrated the wet-grip ability of part-worn X Line Energy tyres at its Ladoux Technology Centre, where a pair of identical fully laden Volvo FH five-axle artics were driven around a water-drenched 110m circular track. One truck wore Michelins, while the other had Goodyear Marathon LHS II (Fuel Max) tyres – all were 60% worn. The truck equipped with X Line Energy tyres started to slide 6km/h faster than the one wearing the rival tyres.
There was also a demonstration of the newly launched Michelin X MultiWay 3D tyres. The range, designed for regional use, features Michelin’s 3D double-wave sipes, self-generating rain drop sipes and TowerPump sipes. These, according to Michelin, give the tyres class-leading wet grip when part-worn. To prove its point, the next live demo featured a pair of Scania rigids – one with Michelins and the other with Continental HSR2 Regional Traffic tyres. Both were driven at 41km/h and had their brakes applied at the same time. The Michelin-clad truck stopped in 45.35m, while the other required an extra 11m.
The tyres score Bs and Cs under the new tyre labelling regulations that come into force next week. The labelling scheme only rates new tyres, and does not take their part-worn characteristics into consideration. ■