Michelin North America Inc. has introduced a low rolling resistance all-weather drive tire for long-haul and super-regional routes and commercial trailer accessories designed to reduce fuel costs.
The new tire, the X One Line Grip D drive tire, will be available in May 2018. SmartWay verification is pending for the X One Line Grip D tire. The company says tire, which will replace the X ONE XDN2 wide-base single, will meet SmartWay requirements for low-rolling resistance tires.
Michelin says that fleets looking for driver confidence in harsh weather can now depend on the X One Line Grip D. The tire offers more than 25% better snow traction than a leading competitive tire, according to Michelin. The tire has a “three peak mountain snowflake” (3PMSF) designation for use in severe snow conditions. Wide open shoulder grooves help deliver all-weather traction for driver confidence.
Available in 445/50R22.5 and 455/55R22.5 sizes, the wide-base single drive tire will meet SmartWay requirements and is greenhouse-gas regulation compliant. Micheline says the X One Line Grip D allows fleets to carry 389 pounds of additional payload versus dual-wheel applications, critical for weight-sensitive fleets. Replacing the X One XDN2 with the X One Line Grip D results in an estimated annual fuel savings of $550 by (based on estimated fuel price of $2.99 per gallon)
“Protecting drivers and their loads while providing outstanding total cost of ownership are key factors for driver retention, load care and uptime,” Murphy says. “Michelin X One Line Grip D is the tire for miles of confident driving and all-weather grip while offering the right balance of fuel efficiency, weight savings and long tread life. The latest X One introduction continues our leadership in wide-base single innovation and provides a market-leading solution.”
New product is designed to improve trailer aerodynamics
The company says its new SmartWay-verified aerodynamic trailer solution kit, Michelin Energy Guard, is an industry first. It is designed for use on 53-foot dry-van truck load, refrigerated truck load and other long-haul and super-regional applications.
With the biggest drag on fuel efficiency occurring at 65 miles per hour, fleets and owner-operators look for aerodynamic solutions that cut fuel costs but do not increase maintenance costs nor require driver attention and costly repairs.
Michelin says Energy Guard is an easy-to-use, fuel-efficient and aerodynamic solution. Consisting of a resilient trailer skirt, trailer-end fairings, aerodynamic mud flaps and a wake reducer, the integrated kit eliminates the need for “boat tails” or combining elements from various vendors, according to the company.
“Fleets can be frustrated with the current market solutions for fuel savings as they strive to improve their margins and competitiveness,” says Adam Murphy, vice president, B2B marketing, Michelin North America. “Our Michelin Energy Guard solution can result in a 7.4% fuel savings. Best of all, it requires no driver interaction in order to achieve these impressive results.”
The kit's resilient trailer skirt integrates with other aerodynamic components, while its advanced technology enables coverage and stiffness without sacrificing durability. The skirt’s flexible design folds out of the way if it strikes an obstacle or debris, while the trailer-end fairings direct airflow to the back of the trailer. The wake reducer minimizes the effect of the recirculation zone behind the trailer. The trailer end fairings and wake reducer are automatically functioning, always activated requiring no driver actions. The aerodynamic mud flaps reduce vehicle drag and road spray.
Energy Guard can be ordered through a fleet's original equipment manufacturer or original equipment dealer.
For more information, visit www.michelintruck.com.
