LAS VEGAS — Michelin North America Inc. has introduced a product it claims is the mining industry's first energy-efficient tire, the Michelin XDR 4 Speed Energy.
The tire is designed to reduce a mining vehicle's fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions through an optimized, more flexible tread and energy-saving rubber compound that allow the tire to run cooler.
Michelin claims the XDR 4 Speed Energy tire achieves up to 3.6% better fuel efficiency compared with the Michelin XDR 250 C tire, resulting in savings of about 5,300 gallons of fuel or $24,000 per truck annually at prevailing prices.
For a fleet of 50 trucks, this would equate to almost $1.2 million in annual savings and a reduction of 2,600 tons of CO2 emissions within a year, Michelin said.
"To gain a clearer insight into a tire's impact on energy efficiency, we must examine the forces that slow down vehicle movement, referred to as rolling resistance," Lisa Hickey, Michelin sustainability lead for mining, said.
"The Michelin XDR 4 Speed Energy tire features innovative technologies, such as an optimized, more flexible tread and energy-saving rubber compound, that enable the tire to run cooler and result in more energy being directed towards propelling the truck."
The tire debuted this week at MINExpo International running Sept. 24-26 in Las Vegas.
The tire design allows vehicles such as rigid dump trucks to minimize energy consumption using a new energy-saving compound, Michelin said. When a mining vehicle carries a load and operates on various terrains, whether hard or soft, the tire deforms and flexes, generating heat that results in energy loss and requires the vehicle to exert more effort to move forward.
Mining trucks fitted with Michelin XDR 4 Speed Energy tires experience reduced rolling resistance, which leads to lower fuel usage, reduced CO2 emissions and cost savings, Michelin said.
"The Michelin XDR 4 Speed Energy tire delivers improvements in rolling resistance without compromising key performances like safety and productivity," Renaud Durand, Michelin mining technical director, said.
"Today, we are leveraging our in-depth experience in composites and engineered materials to introduce the Michelin XDR 4 Speed Energy tire, the mining industry's first energy-efficient tire designed to help our customers reduce fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions. Our ambition is to grow our leadership in energy efficiency by delivering benchmark solutions for the mining industry across our portfolio."
The tire will be available commercially in 2025. No pricing information was disclosed at this time.
