As more delivery vans and pickups have been hitting the road to meet growing work demands, Michelin has stepped up to introduce a new all-season tire that they believe will withstand the tough challenges those vehicles face.
Michelin’s new Agilis CrossClimate tire, which was unveiled Sunday at the 2019 Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) meeting in Atlanta, Ga., was designed specifically for ¾- and 1-ton pick-up trucks and vans used in commercial applications, as well as for European van platforms that have become increasingly popular in the North American market.
“We are really proud of the job that our tire engineers have done in really giving us a product that we think is going to do an outstanding job of meeting the needs of our customers that are operating in these fast-growing segments of the market,” said Adam Murphy, vice president of B2B marketing for Michelin.
A new tread wear indicator appears around the tireThe Agilis CrossClimate, which will roll out to distributors on April 1, features a MaxPressure Profile which is designed to optimize the tire footprint for better wear life under high pressure, heavy loads, high torque and stop-and-go driving. A new tread wear indicator, shown on the right, is featured around the tire allowing for a quick glance to determine tread life.
The tire’s StabiliBlok design provides wider and longer tread blocks that resist extreme torque while providing relatively cooler operating temperatures under full loads and at high speeds.
According to Murphy, the Agilis CrossClimate LT-metric tire lasted up to 19 percent longer under heavy loads than the three leading competitors’ comparable commercial tires.
SipeLock provides hundreds of biting edges for improved wet and snow traction without sacrificing tread-block stability. On wet pavement, Murphy said the Agilis CrossClimate C-metric tire stopped up to 24 feet shorter and the LT-metric tire stopped up to 21 feet shorter than three leading competitors’ comparable commercial tires. On snow-covered roads, the Agilis CrossClimate tire demonstrated better snow traction than three leading competitors’ commercial tires.
CurbGard sidewall protectors resist curb scrubbing in urban environments. Agilis has more than twice as much nylon reinforcement as the Michelin Defender LTX M/S for improved sidewall strength and durability.
The C-Metric tire has a directional tread design, while the LT-metric uses a non-directional tread pattern.
The Agilis CrossClimate has a “Three Peak Mountain Snowflake” (3PMSF) designation from the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association and is designed to be a one-tire solution for drivers in climate zones with significant seasonal temperature changes.
The C-Metric tire sizes include: 185/60R15C, 195/75R16C, 205/65R15C, 225/75R16C and 235/65R16C. The LT-metric sizes include: LT215/85R16, LT225/75R16, LT235/85R16, LT245/75R16, LT265/75R16, LT235/80R17, LT245/70R17, LT245/75R17, LT265/70R17, LT285/70R17, LT265/70R18, LT275/65R18, LT275/70R18, LT265/60R20, LT275/65R20 and LT285/60R20. To learn more about truck tires and services, visit www.michelintruck.com or www.michelinman.com.
