Modular Hyundai Vehicles Run On Airless, Shock-Absorbent ‘Honeycomb’ Tires

Airless tires have, alongside autonomous driving and electric mobility solutions, been a pretty hot topic in the automotive industry as of late. Recently, well-known tire manufacturer Michelin took its invention out for a spin for the first time.

However, Michelin isn’t this game’s only player. Hankook Tire, a South Korean tire company, has been developing its own iteration of the airless tire, called i-Flex, since 2010.  

This was presented at the recent CES 2022 alongside Hyundai’s new modular Plug & Drive (PnD) platform, with the tire having been tweaked to “maximize characteristics and functions” of the module. 

The non-pneumatic tire concept was developed through “rigorous” biomimetic studies and designed with a “multi-layer interlocking spoke,” which the firm says is inspired by living organisms’ cell structures. 

According to the brand, this allows for better shock absorption while the hexagonal and tetragonal structures “join together for more stable load support.”

Interesting Engineering also reports that the tread was designed particularly to allow for multidirectional movement, and it carries on the “honeycomb” theme that the tire’s design touts. 

Since there’s no air inside the tire, it makes it much less at risk of punctures and flats. Additionally, it doesn’t require air pressure maintenance, a feature that makes it ideal for the use of autonomous vehicles. 

The i-Flex was developed specifically for Hyundai’s Plug & Drive vehicle this time, which means that the tires aren’t available separately for now. However, with the way things have been picking up for non-pneumatic tires lately, there’s a high chance that they’ll be making it to production.

[via Interesting Engineering and The Korea Herald, images via Hankook Tire]