Michelin Introduces All-Season, Heavy-Duty Tire for Light-Truck Applications That Answers Commercial Demands

ATLANTA, Ga., March 17, 2019 — Michelin North America, Inc., is launching the new MICHELIN^® Agilis^® CrossClimate^® tire for today’s small-business owners and commercial fleets. This tire was designed specifically for ¾- and 1-ton pick-up trucks and vans used in commercial applications, as well as for European van platforms that have become increasingly popular in the North American market. These vehicles are seen increasingly in applications such as:

• Local and parcel delivery fleets
• Food and beverage and temperature-controlled vehicles
• Telecom and utility fleets
• Trades, including landscaping, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, pest control and other trade fleets

Available April 1 in the United States and Canada, the MICHELIN Agilis CrossClimate tire is available in 16 light-truck (LT) sizes for passenger-vehicle platforms such as the Ford F-Series, Ford Econoline, Chevrolet Express, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, Dodge Ram 2500 and Mercedes Sprinter. Five C-Metric sizes are available for lighter-duty commercial vehicles such as the Ford Transit, Ram ProMaster and Nissan NV200. Responding to the wide-ranging demands for these vehicles in last-mile delivery and urban or suburban commercial uses, the Michelin Agilis CrossClimate features these exceptional benefits:

•           Durability over extended mileage

•           Towing and hauling heavy loads with confidence

•           Improved protection from impacts, punctures and aggressions

•           All-weather (or all-season) performance for year-round rough work conditions, as well as wet braking in high-stress applications

“Today’s local fleets demand a product to meet their specific commercial needs, and the Agilis CrossClimate tire is our most durable tire for heavy-duty light trucks and for lighter commercial applications,” said Adam Murphy, vice president of B2B marketing for Michelin. “Through engineering and innovation, Michelin has developed a tire that lasts longer under heavy loads, and also offers shorter wet-stopping distances and better snow traction than other leading competitive commercial tires.”

The MICHELIN Agilis CrossClimate tire is engineered with multiple innovations:

MaxPressure Profile™ optimizes the tire footprint for better wear life under high pressure, heavy loads, high torque and stop-and-go driving. Additionally, the distinctive StabiliBlok™ design provides wider and longer tread blocks that resist extreme torque while providing relatively cooler operating temperatures under full loads and at high speeds. The MICHELIN Agilis CrossClimate LT-metric tire lasted up to 19 percent longer under heavy loads than the three leading competitors’ comparable commercial tires¹.

SipeLock™ provides hundreds of biting edges for improved wet and snow traction without sacrificing tread-block stability. On wet pavement, the MICHELIN Agilis CrossClimate C-metric tire stopped up to 24 feet shorter and the LT-metric tire stopped up to 21 feet shorter than three leading competitors’ comparable commercial tires^2,3. On snow-covered roads, the MICHELIN Agilis CrossClimate tire demonstrated better snow traction than three leading competitors’ commercial tires⁴.

CurbGard™ sidewall protectors resist curb scrubbing in urban environments. This tire has more than twice as much nylon reinforcement as the MICHELIN^® Defender^® LTX^® M/S for improved sidewall strength and durability.

The C-Metric tire has a directional tread design, while the LT-metric uses a non-directional tread pattern.

With a “Three Peak Mountain Snowflake” (3PMSF) designation from the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association, the Agilis CrossClimate meets the tire industry’s requirements for severe snow service and is designed to be a one-tire solution for drivers in climate zones with significant seasonal temperature changes⁵.

To learn more about Michelin’s truck tires and services, visit www.michelintruck.com or www.michelinman.com.