Michelin X Multi D ‘reducing noise’ in midi-coaches

In addition to its specialist national and regional X Coach range, Michelin has also recently added the X Multi D to its portfolio of passenger transportation tyres. The manufacturer says the tyre will be at the forefront of changes in the 17.5” drive axle commercial vehicle tyre segment. The tyre, aimed at medium weight trucks and midi-coaches is designed to provide improved safety, fuel-efficiency, noise and longevity characteristics when compared with the XDE2 tyres they replace. The X Multi D is labelled D for rolling resistance, C for grip on wet surfaces and produce 69dB of noise (one wave).

Developed at the Michelin Technology Centre in Clermont-Ferrand and available in four sizes, the X Multi D represents the manufacturer’s response to environmental, economic and regulatory changes introduced since the XDE2 launch in 2005. The drive tyre is designed as an all-season and surface tyre to keep 7.5 to 16 tonne commercial vehicles in service year-round.

Guy Heywood, commercial director of Michelin’s truck tyre division in the UK and Republic of Ireland, says: “One of the most notable achievements has been making these tyres 50 per cent quieter than the previous generation. This is a major technological breakthrough, particularly given the number of vehicles in this sector which are used extensively in urban environments.”