How long before we see a two wheel version ?
Polaris Industries Inc. has surely unleashed what every soldier driving on the battlefield would want: a tire that can't go flat.
Last month, Polaris unveiled its airless "never-flat" tire at the U.S. Army's 2012 Annual Meeting & Exposition in Washington. The tire is a technological feat for a company better known for making ATVs, snowmobiles and motorcycles, and rugged off-road vehicles for the military.
Each airless or "non-pneumatic" tire core is made with a web of plastic honeycombs and surrounded by a thick band of rubber tread. The plan is to roll the tire out to the Army first and then focus on consumers who drive Polaris ATVs on their farms, ranches, factories and fields. The implications for the Army could be huge.
"Even if up to 30 percent of the web is damaged, the tire can still function," said Richard Haddad, general manager of Polaris' defense division. He noted that the technology is a big improvement over "run-flat" tires now on the market. Run-flat tires allow drivers who get a flat to keep driving for another 50 to 100 miles before the tire goes completely dead, Haddad said.
Polaris Industries Inc. has surely unleashed what every soldier driving on the battlefield would want: a tire that can't go flat.
Last month, Polaris unveiled its airless "never-flat" tire at the U.S. Army's 2012 Annual Meeting & Exposition in Washington. The tire is a technological feat for a company better known for making ATVs, snowmobiles and motorcycles, and rugged off-road vehicles for the military.
Each airless or "non-pneumatic" tire core is made with a web of plastic honeycombs and surrounded by a thick band of rubber tread. The plan is to roll the tire out to the Army first and then focus on consumers who drive Polaris ATVs on their farms, ranches, factories and fields. The implications for the Army could be huge.
"Even if up to 30 percent of the web is damaged, the tire can still function," said Richard Haddad, general manager of Polaris' defense division. He noted that the technology is a big improvement over "run-flat" tires now on the market. Run-flat tires allow drivers who get a flat to keep driving for another 50 to 100 miles before the tire goes completely dead, Haddad said.
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