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DECODING
min / Published on 01/12/24

Michelin’s innovation is taking up the challenge of electromobility

In 2027, nearly 40% of newly registered vehicles will be electric: a three-fold increase in this type of vehicle by comparison with 2022. This is a game changer, not only for the automotive industry but also for stakeholders across the board, including Michelin. Already a powerful lever for decarbonizing cities, electromobility is yet another opportunity for the Group to draw on its extensive expertise and its innovation potential in the field of tires and beyond. 

As early as 1899 Michelin was already developing tires for an electric vehicle - the “Jamais Contente”, the first car to beat the 100 km/h speed record. Since then, from the first radial tires to the MICHELIN Energy Saver tire, Michelin has been innovating non-stop to create tires which reduce CO2 emissions, use a minimum of materials, last longer and reduce carbon footprint. Today, more than ever, sustainable development is the driving force behind Michelin’s mission and its product and service offering. 

Pioneer and technological leader in tires for electric vehicles

Electric vehicles are tough on tires. Battery weight, high torque, regenerative braking, range, low noise level - the need to factor in all these specific EV characteristics means that consumers and automotive manufacturers are increasingly turning their attention to the tires.  
Higher and higher tire performance is required in terms of lifespan, energy efficiency, load capacity and comfort. All areas in which Michelin has forged its credentials and achieved excellence.  

Michelin and electric vehicles

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  • Rolling resistance 

    To optimize battery lifespan and range, electric vehicles need tires with low rolling resistance, a field in which Michelin’s innovation and leadership is widely recognized. Michelin has succeeded in increasing the energy efficiency of its passenger car tires by 20% in the past twenty years with no compromise on safety or longevity.

     

  • Lifespan 

    Electric vehicles are synonymous with high torque, regenerative braking and heavy batteries. These factors inevitably influence the lifespan and performance of the tires over time, another field where Michelin has always been a recognized pioneer. According to a test conducted in January 2022 by the German automobile association, Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club e.V (ADAC), MICHELIN tires wear about 28% less quickly than its competitors’ tires

  • Load capacity 

    Electric vehicles are heavier due to the weight of the batteries. Michelin supplies tires which have the same dimension or a larger diameter but, offer a higher load capacity. Michelin has also launched the Selfseal tire, which repairs itself in the event of a flat, thereby saving on the added weight of a spare tire.  

  • Noise 

    MICHELIN Acoustic - a polyurethane foam ring - contributes to reducing interior noise caused by the tires, which is a major issue for electric vehicles with their silent engines.  

Given the performance features and technologies required to manufacture an electric-vehicle premium tire, Michelin has proven to be a key player in this high-growth potential market segment.

Scott Clark Executive Vice President, Automotive, Motorsport, Two-Wheel and Americas Regions – Group Executive Committee member.

Michelin - a trusted partner

Over and above actual tire performance, Michelin is committed to limiting the impact of its products throughout their entire lifecycle. This sustainable approach makes the Group the preferred partner of automotive manufacturers. Michelin can boast close to 366 homologations on electric vehicles, partnering with more than 60 brands worldwide! 
As electric vehicles are much more connected, Michelin can also claim leadership in predictive maintenance solutions with onboard algorithms. In fact, in 2021, Michelin was the first manufacturer to release a connected tire with an integrated sensor. It is also one of the few tire manufacturers to equip various categories of electric vehicles, such as two-wheeled motor vehicles and buses. 
366

Michelin can already boast 366 EV homologations, partnering with more than 60 brands worldwide.

With its “All Sustainable” approach and its ability to take responsibility for its tires’ entire life cycle, Michelin is the preferred partner of the vehicle manufacturers shaping the EV market today.  

48

Michelin equips 48% of the world's bev brands.

Source: analysis of Michelin Automotive Original Equipment internal database at 12/31/2023

  • Car tire ranges

    All Michelin car tire ranges are suitable for electric vehicles. For over 100 years, Michelin has offered the best of its technology and innovation to provide safe, long-lasting tires with low rolling resistance, which has a direct impact on the autonomy of electric vehicles. 

  • The MICHELIN E-Wild range

    Around 50% of MICHELIN bicycle tires can be adapted to the specific features of electric bikes. The MICHELIN E-Wild range saves battery power by reducing energy losses. 

  • MICHELIN X InCity EV Z

    The MICHELIN X InCity EV Z tire provides increased load carrying capacity of up to 8 metric tons to cater for the increased weight of buses due to the battery.  
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Leveraging electromobility to speed up the energy transition

Over and above the growth potential, Michelin sees another major benefit in electromobility, namely speeding up the energy transition. To this end, and in line with its sustainability ambitions, the Group is leveraging motorsport to accelerate the innovations that will pave the way for electromobility. Michelin accordingly took part in the FIA Formula E - the single-seater motorsport championship for electric cars - in 2013, followed in 2019 by the MotoETM, the first 100% electric motorcycle racing class.  

motoe champion 2023

More recently, in June 2020, through Symbio, Michelin became the MissionH24 project’s designated partner in a bid to speed up “zero-emission” mobility by developing the use of hydrogen in Endurance racing. The Group firmly believes that hydrogen mobility will be one of the core factors in clean mobility, alongside the electric battery, and play a key role in the widespread development of electric vehicles and hence “zero emission” mobility.   

The Group also positions itself alongside its fleet-management customers as a services and solutions aggregator equipped to support their energy transition. This is the case of Watèa by Michelin, for example, which supplies electric vehicles, access to a charging infrastructure and digital services for guaranteed business continuity.    
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