Cyrille Roget, Scientific Communication Director at Michelin, explains how the company is developing tyres for India's challenging road conditions, addressing the demands of electric vehicles and bringing motorsport innovations to everyday mobility.
As electric vehicles (EVs) gain momentum globally, tyre technology is becoming increasingly important in determining vehicle efficiency, driving range, safety and overall ownership costs. The additional weight of battery packs, instant torque delivery and the need for lower cabin noise have created new engineering challenges for tyre manufacturers. Michelin believes that many of these requirements can be addressed through its existing tyre technologies, developed over decades of research.
In an interaction with Jagran HiTech, Cyrille Roget, Scientific Communication Director at Michelin, discussed the company's approach to developing tyres for India, the changing demands of electric mobility and the innovations that could shape the future of the tyre industry.
How Do You See Indian Road Conditions? What Are The Key Challenges You Face As A Tyre Manufacturer?
Explaining why India remains a particularly challenging market for tyre manufacturers, Roget said the combination of temperature variations, rainfall, road conditions and operating loads makes the country unique.
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"India is very special because the temperature conditions, rain conditions, road conditions and truck operating conditions make it very unique in our world," he said.
He explained that Michelin has developed specific tyres to withstand higher loads, temperatures and the speeds at which trucks operate in India. One of the challenges is a phenomenon known as 'scaling', where repeated road impacts, combined with specific road and temperature conditions, create layers within the rubber that eventually peel away.
According to Roget, Michelin developed specialised testing equipment to reproduce these conditions and subsequently engineered rubber compounds capable of resisting them.
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The Indian EV Market Is Expanding Rapidly. What Does This Mean For Michelin And How Are You Preparing For The Same?
With EVs bringing higher battery weights and instant torque, tyres need to offer a different combination of performance characteristics. However, Roget believes that Michelin's existing technologies already address many of these requirements.
He pointed out that Michelin began developing energy-efficient tyres as early as 1992, long before energy efficiency became a mainstream industry consideration.
"By just changing the tyre, we can offer up to a 10% reduction in energy consumption on an electric vehicle, which translates into up to 10% additional autonomy," Roget explained.
He added that lower rolling resistance can also help manufacturers reduce the battery capacity required to achieve a particular driving range.
Another major challenge is tyre wear. EVs tend to put additional stress on tyres because of their weight and instant torque delivery. Michelin has been researching abrasion and particle emissions for around 20 years, with the company linking lower particle emissions to improved abrasion resistance and tyre longevity.
Noise reduction is another important consideration, particularly because the absence of conventional engine noise makes tyre noise more noticeable inside electric vehicles. Michelin uses simulation technologies and acoustic foam fitted inside tyres to reduce noise.
Interestingly, Roget said Michelin does not necessarily need separate tyre product lines for EVs, as its existing ranges are already compatible with electric vehicles.
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Michelin Is Actively Involved In Motorsport, How Is It Connected With Tyre Development?
Michelin's involvement in motorsport has also played an important role in developing technologies that eventually make their way into passenger vehicles.
Roget cited the company's Dynamic Response technology as an example. Originally developed through motorsport, the technology uses a hybrid reinforcement structure to improve tyre stability at high speeds and provide better cornering response.
He also highlighted Grip Booster technology, developed for competition and expected to feature in the next generation of passenger car tyre products.
According to Roget, motorsport acts as an accelerated development laboratory, allowing Michelin to test technologies under extreme conditions before adapting them for everyday vehicles.
How Is an Airless Tyre Different Than A Normal Tyre, And Where Do You See It In The Future?
While the tyre industry has traditionally evolved at a relatively slow pace, Roget believes some significant developments are on the horizon.
He explained that introducing new tyre technologies is complicated because manufacturing processes require substantial investments and changes to existing industrial infrastructure. As an example, he pointed to the radial tyre, which took decades to become an industry standard.
However, Michelin remains optimistic about airless tyre technology, which could eliminate problems associated with pressure loss, punctures and tyre damage. Roget cautioned that widespread adoption would take years because manufacturing processes and regulatory standards would also need to evolve.
He also highlighted sustainable and renewable materials as an important area of research.
One of the company's bigger ambitions, according to Roget, is to move away from the traditional model of purchasing and discarding tyres towards developing products that can be recharged or renewed throughout their lifespan.
"If we can move from a model where you buy a tyre and throw it away to something that you can recharge for 10-15 years instead of throwing it away after three years, that would be a game changer," he said.
He believes this approach could eventually transform both commercial vehicle and passenger car tyre markets.