Michelin Reinvents The Wheel With Tweel: The Tire That Never Needs Air (Link)

January 9th, 2005, Michelin showcased a potential future for mobility, an integrated tire and wheel combination missing one ingredient that is vital for traditional tire performance...air. The company unveiled the first real-world fitments for its revolutionary "Tweel" – which operates entirely without air.

Michelin's Tweel is a wheel with shock-absorbing rubber tread band that distributes pressure to dozens of flexible polyurethane spokes. The spokes in turn are supported by an aluminum center. Because the Tweel is airless, it is more rugged than a pneumatic tire and never goes flat. The Tweel has been tested on the IBOT robotic wheelchair and military vehicles. Tweel won't be available for cars until 2020! Michelin says it is still too noisy for automotive applications.

Also Read:
Best Inventions 2005: Roll With It (TIME.com)
Michelin Tweel: The tire that never needs air (Popular Science)