Tokyo—Toyota Motor Corp. is eyeing airless tires to help reduce the weight of battery-electric and fuel-cell vehicles and boost performance, even though the technology is years away from being ready for commercial use. Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd., which supplied the tires and has been testing them on local “kei” minicars and golf carts, said other Japanese carmakers are also interested, particularly for smaller electric vehicles. “For automakers, the attraction of airless tires is for electrified vehicles,” Sato said. While Toyota’s Fine-Comfort Ride is the size of a crossover SUV, “these wheels could be used on any electrified vehicle,” he said. Wako Iwamura, head of the five-year airless-tire project at Sumitomo Rubber, said his personal target is to have a commercial product ready by 2020.

Source: thestar October 30, 2017 17:37 UTC