With its first design in 1935, the run-flat tire has experienced eighty years of evolution and improvement, but has still to achieve widespread use in consumer applications. The tire has its share of inherent positive edges over standard car tires, but some critical issues have left it falling flat with many customers.
The run-flat tire is a pneumatic car tire designed with a fabric or sponge rubber inner tube, giving the chance to persist in operating at low speeds and distances even after a puncture. The tires were first designed in the 1930s as bullet-proof tires for military and police automobiles and armored cars. The very first civilian application of the technology was not utilized until the 1950s, when Chrysler and US Royal began offering them as options on some of their models.
Michelin, Bridgestone and General Motors have spent enormous sums in the past hew decades to develop run-flat tire technology, and are always quick to sell the advantage points. A typical run-flat tire design allows continued operation of a vehicle for 100 to 150 miles at a speed of about fifty mph, even after air pressure has been depleted from the tire. BMW has continues to promote this as a safety feature, even guranteeing that you won't need to carry a spare tire in a car of theirs that is featuring run-flat tires.
Even with its positive selling points run-flat tires have failed to earn popular acclamation from drivers. Most particularly, this is from the high sticker price. Run-flat tires an astounding $200 to $500 per tire dependent on design and size, typically relegating their use to luxury car companies like BMW. With the thicker sidewall on the run-flat tires, their increased weight over conventional tires hurts fuel efficiency by nearly 2.0 percent, negating the efforts to fuel efficiency of not having the need to carry a spare tire.
In the seventeen years that run-flat tires have been generally available in the United States, there's been no discernible increase in market share among consumers. According to a Michelin study released in 2008, only 3 percent of drivers world-wide voiced any desire for run-flat tires, and U.S. market share is still less than 1 %. Unless the production cost of these tires can be seriously reduced, the technology is not likely to gain wider appeal.
About the Author:
Harold Smith writes about investments and car brands. He is saving to purchase a Bugatti Veyron, one of the most expensive cars in the world.
