Michelin launches Agilis 3 light commercial vehicle tyre

Michelin has launched the Agilis 3, its latest summer tyre for light commercial vehicles. The manufacturer states that the new tyre is designed particularly for vans used on intense delivery schedules. It adds that the tyre features technology “not used within light commercial vehicle tyres previously.” These help the Agilis 3 to offer safety on wet roads and high fuel efficiency, exemplified by its tyre label scores, while remaining robust and durable. Michelin states that the tyre targets the optimisation of costs and environmental footprint without compromising on safety.

The tyre is designed with Michelin’s EverGrip technologies. These help the Agilis 3 to deliver high-level braking performance on both dry and wet roads. The manufacturer says the technologies are focused on increasing safety over the entire life of the tyre, “right down to the 1.6mm legal tread depth limit.” The Agulis 3 is rated ‘A’ for braking performance in wet conditions. This has been achieved via its blended carbon black and silica rubber compound.

Michelin adds that the new tyre weighs, on average, 1kg less than its predecessor, with the difference reaching as high as 1.7kg for certain sizes. As a result, fewer raw materials and natural resources are required during manufacturing and the amount of waste that needs to be recycled is significantly reduced. Results of in-house testing by Michelin found that the new tyres reduce CO2 emissions by an average of 100kg over 20,000km. According to the same Michelin tests, the tyre reduces fuel consumption by 0.12 litres/100km.

All new Agilis 3 tyres feature Michelin’s sidewall protection solution, comprising an additional layer of rubber which shields the tyre from scrubbing. This is combined with an improved rubber compound offering superior resistance to abrasion and a patented technology to combat stone retention in the tread.

Chris Smith, managing director of Michelin UK, says: “We are committed to developing new products that combine the highest possible safety and performance throughout their working life, and that’s just what we have done with the Agilis 3.

“Together with our Agilis CrossClimate and Agilis Alpin products, we’ve now got the strongest range of products we’ve ever had for van operators – with a choice of three different tyres, depending on the mission and operating environment.”

The Michelin Agilis 3 is available in 12 popular sizes from launch.