This tire might kind of look like an ole-timey covered wagon wheel, but it’s actually quite the opposite. This is the tire recently unveiled by the SMART Tire Company, something they say could change the way we drive.
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00:00 [Music]
00:03 This tire might kind of look like an old-timey covered wagon wheel,
00:06 but it's actually quite the opposite.
00:08 This is the tire recently unveiled by the Smart Tire Company,
00:11 something they say could change the way we drive.
00:14 The wheel was designed after the ones used on the first lunar rover,
00:17 and it doesn't need any air.
00:19 That means punctures could soon be a thing of the past.
00:21 But what's really revolutionary is what it's made of.
00:24 Here's co-founder and CEO of the company, Earl Cole, to explain.
00:27 What makes shape memory alloy so special is it's like a super elastic material.
00:33 It's a very flexible lightweight metal that's elastic like rubber,
00:38 but strong like titanium.
00:39 So you can actually deflect a tire way down to the rim,
00:43 and it would just always bounce back to its original shape.
00:46 And that's an important thing to note,
00:47 is car manufacturing shifts towards the electric market.
00:50 Because of their heavy batteries, electric vehicles are heavier,
00:52 meaning they need stronger wheels that won't wear out as quickly.
00:55 And this new kind of tire could be a boon to sustainability in that regard,
00:59 as car tires are a leading cause of microplastic pollution.
01:02 The Smart Tire Company is looking to release a version of it for bikes next year,
01:06 with another larger set to be installed on the next lunar rover,
01:09 which will carry astronauts around the moon once again,
01:11 as part of the Artemis V mission.