Michelin says it has introduced its first range of electric bus tires that can also be used by traditional urban and suburban vehicles. The Michelin X Incity EV Z was originally designed specifically for EV applications but has since proved efficient when used on traditional forms of buses.
Due to battery packs making electric buses much heavier, Michelin has designed the Incity EV Z tires to have a load capacity of up to 8 tonnes. With safety being a main focus during the development stage, Michelin added extra protection to the tire’s sidewalls to prevent further damage when coming into contact with sidewalk edges during operation. An added wear indicator on the tire’s sidewall also indicates when tires need to be rotated.
Featuring Michelin’s Regenion technology, the new range has been built with a progressive tread pattern to deliver longitudinal and lateral grip. Furthermore, the longevity of the tires is claimed to have been increased by 10%. Thanks to this, plus 13% better rolling resistance and increased load capacity, vehicles fitted with the latest range should expect to see a lower operating cost. The tires can be re-grooved and re-treaded and are marked 3PMSF, meaning they will provide a high level of grip in snow-covered environments.
Michelin is set to release the tire in a standard 275/70 R 22.5 152/149J size to facilitate fleet management.
