New energy-efficient tire from Michelin reduces fuel consumption for mining vehicles

Michelin introduced the Michelin XDR 4 SPEED ENERGY  at MINExpo 24. According to the company, the new product is the first-ever energy-efficient tire that is designed to reduce a mining vehicle's fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions. All of these benefits are thanks to its optimized, more flexible tread, and new energy-saving rubber compound.

The Michelin XDR 4 SPEED ENERGY tire achieves up to 3.6 percent better fuel efficiency compared to the Michelin XDR 250 C tire, resulting in savings of about 5,300 gallons of fuel or $24,000 per truck annually. 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.

How does the Michelin XDR 4 SPEED ENERGY tire work?

"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," said Lisa Hickey, sustainability lead for mining at Michelin. "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." 

This tire innovation allows vehicles such as rigid dump trucks to minimize energy consumption using a new energy-saving compound. As a result, 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.

Benefits of energy-efficient tires

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 — a win for the industry and the planet alike.

"Michelin has been an innovation leader for 135 years. We push the boundaries of technology and design to ensure that our solutions lead the market," said Renaud Durand, mining technical director of Michelin. "The Michelin XDR 4 SPEED ENERGY tire delivers improvements in rolling resistance without compromising key performances like safety and productivity."

Durand also discussed their objectives, "Currently, 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."    

Michelin is committed to joining forces with its mining customers to reduce the environmental impact of not just its own operations, but also the products, services, and support it delivers.