Michelin tire development in Ivalo: Come what may
While we are buying new summer tires, manufacturers are already thinking about the next winter tires. Michelin, for example, is presenting the X-Ice Snow+ as well as optimized versions of the Alpin and Crossclimate. You should be well equipped for a wide range of weather conditions.
Temperature and road conditions during the winter months are becoming increasingly unpredictable in our latitudes. Finding the right type of tire for all these conditions is becoming increasingly difficult,» explains Sophie Mazelier, Winter Product Category Manager at Michelin. As safety is the top priority for most car users when choosing tires, a winter tire must be equipped for snow, ice and slush, but also for wet and dry roads - the whole range.
The French tire manufacturer has therefore further improved its Alpin range and also developed the new X-Ice Snow+. And Michelin is now satisfying the growing demand for all-season tires, particularly in Central Europe, with the third-generation Crossclimate. These new products were presented at the Michelin Arctic Proving Ground near Ivalo, 300 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, in deepest Finnish Lapland. Here, where others go dog sledding or marvel at the Northern Lights, Michelin engineers are working on the perfect winter tires.
Not all winters are the same
Thanks to the newly developed Flex-Ice 3.0 rubber compound, the X-Ice Snow+ reduces rolling resistance and thus increases energy efficiency by up to five percent compared to the X-Ice Snow SUV. New elastomers as well as optimized silica fillers and plasticizers have provided more chemical grip. Increased mechanical grip is provided by the enlarged contact area and the reinforced interlocking effect of the new tread. This ensures greater lateral and directional stability as well as better braking performance on ice, fresh snow and slush on cold and wet roads.
Euro 7 as a challenge
In addition, the tire promises up to 40 percent higher mileage than the previous generation. This not only reduces the burden on customers« budgets, but also benefits the new Euro 7 regulations on abrasion emissions. According to Frédéric Sarazin, Winter Technical Expert at Michelin, the introduction of Euro 7 for tires creates a conflict between safety, environmental protection and costs: »Every year, around 500,000 tons of tire abrasion are released into the air and soil in Europe. This amount must now be significantly reduced."
The new tire will be available from May in 165 dimensions from 15 to 23 inches. It is suitable for sedans as well as crossover and SUV models. As a particularly 'tough guy', the X-Ice Snow+ is suitable for Nordic winter conditions in the temperature range between -40 and +7 °C. There is no need to worry about noise pollution, as the tire is equipped with Michelin's Piano Acoustic Tuning technology, which reduces noise and ensures a high level of driving comfort. For even more demanding winter use, the tire is available with around 220 studs as the X-Ice North 4.
Safe up to the minimum tread depth
For the Alpin 7, Michelin engineers have developed a new tread pattern for temperatures between -20 and +7 °C. Another new feature is the directional tread pattern with high-performance sipes for better grip on wet and snow-covered roads. The sipes widen with increasing tire wear. This keeps the tire safe up to the legal minimum tread depth. The increased proportion of sipes also improves braking grip and traction on snow. The Alpin 7 is available in 62 dimensions from 15 to 20 inches.
The both/and solution
The Crossclimate all-season tire is much more willing to compromise in terms of ambient temperature. The Crossclimate 3 and Crossclimate 3 Sport model pair provides a reliable connection between wheel and road between -10 and +30 °C. The two tires are suitable for all vehicle classes and all drive types. The Crossclimate 3 Sport even has the 3PMSF marking (Three Peak Mountain Snow Flake), making it suitable for winter road conditions and complying with the legal requirements for winter tires. This type is also ideal for heavy and high-torque electric vehicles. Michelin manufactures all tires in the Crossclimate 3 series in European plants in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Poland and Serbia.
Experience differences for yourself«
In a direct comparison of the Michelin winter tires - all fitted to Volvo XC60s - the differences could be impressively «experienced» in the far north of Finland. The X-Ice Snow+ and the parallel model with studs showed clear advantages, while the cars fitted with Alpin 7 and Crossclimate 3 tires accelerated somewhat less spontaneously and track-faithfully in comparison, but impressed with good grip on already wet snow. The performance of the all-season tire is also remarkable, making it a good tire solution for the whole year for many car users in our latitudes, depending on the usage profile.
