Michelin introduces XDR 4 energy-efficient OTR tire

Michelin introduced the Michelin XDR 4 Speed Energy, the mining industry’s first-ever energy-efficient tire that is designed to reduce a mining vehicle’s fuel consumption and lower CO²emissions through an optimized, more flexible tread and new energy-saving rubber compound, last month at MinEXPO in Las Vegas.

The Michelin XDR 4 Speed Energy tire achieves up to 3.6% better fuel efficiency compared to the Michelin XDR 250 C tire – resulting in savings of about 20,000 litres of fuel per truck annually. For a fleet of 50 trucks, this would equate to multi-million annual savings and a reduction of 2,360 tonnes tons of CO² emissions within a year.

“To gain a clearer insight into a tire’s impact on energy efficiency, we must examine the forces that slow down vehicle movement, referred to as rolling resistance,” said Lisa Hickey, Michelin sustainability lead for mining. “The Michelin XDR 4 Speed Energy tire features innovative technologies, such as an optimized, more flexible tread and energy-saving rubber compound, that enable the tire to run cooler and result in more energy being directed towards propelling the truck.”

This cutting-edge tire innovation allows vehicles such as rigid dump trucks to minimize energy consumption using a new energy-saving compound. When a mining vehicle carries a load and operates on various terrains, whether hard or soft, the tire deforms and flexes, generating heat that results in energy loss and requires the vehicle to exert more effort to move forward.

Mining trucks fitted with Michelin XDR 4 Speed Energy tires experience reduced rolling resistance, which leads to lower fuel usage^[ reduced CO² emissions^, and cost savings—a win for the industry and the planet alike.

“The Michelin XDR 4 Speed Energy tire delivers improvements in rolling resistance without compromising key performances like safety and productivity,” said mining technical director Renaud Durand. “Our ambition is to grow our leadership in energy-efficiency by delivering benchmark solutions for the mining industry across our portfolio.”

This new first-of-its-kind tire will be available commercially in 2025. For more information on the Michelin XDR 4 Speed Energy tire, please visit Michelin’s website.