Michelin, a leader in innovations for sustainable mobility, will preview the Maxion Flexible Wheel with Michelin Acorus Technology for the first time in North America. Michelin’s Acorus technology reinvents the wheel, helping to eliminate costly damage from potholes and road debris to tires and rims in larger sizes on high-performance or luxury passenger vehicles. The patented new technology was developed in collaboration with Maxion Wheels, the largest global wheel manufacturer. Michelin’s research shows that the flexible wheel assembly helps prevent pinch shocks on tires and wheel damage.
The assembly incorporates two flexible rubber flanges mounted on a special wheel body to create a flexible wheel assembly, effectively absorbing dangerous shocks and impacts that create expensive risks for low-profile tires. The flexible wheel assembly’s design is compatible with all passenger tires on the market.
In addition to improved ride comfort and lower road-noise levels, the flexible wheel assembly improves long-term environmental impact by reducing the number of low-profile tires that are discarded prematurely due to damage from pinch shocks or road debris.
The innovation takes its name from Acorus calamus, the reedy wetland plant that features in a famous French fable, “the oak and the reed,” imparting the wisdom that the reed bends but does not break. Michelin previewed Acorus technology at NAIAS with limited availability (in 19-inch and larger sizes) to select manufacturers in North America for 2018. See more details about the Maxion Flexible Wheel Assembly with Michelin’s Acorus Technology in this video