Michelin Introduces All-Season, Heavy-Duty Tire for Light-Truck Applications That Answers Commercial Demands

ATLANTA, March 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Michelin North America, Inc., is launching the new MICHELIN^® Agilis^® CrossClimate^® tire for today's small-business owners and commercial fleets. This tire was designed specifically for ¾- and 1-ton pick-up trucks and vans used in commercial applications, as well as for European van platforms that have become increasingly popular in the North American market. These vehicles are seen increasingly in applications such as:

• Local and parcel delivery fleets
• Food and beverage and temperature-controlled vehicles
• Telecom and utility fleets
• Trades, including landscaping, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, pest control and other trade fleets

Available April 1 in the United States and Canada, the MICHELIN Agilis CrossClimate tire is available in 16 light-truck (LT) sizes for passenger-vehicle platforms such as the Ford F-Series, Ford Econoline, Chevrolet Express, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, Dodge Ram 2500 and Mercedes Sprinter. Five C-Metric sizes are available for lighter-duty commercial vehicles such as the Ford Transit, Ram ProMaster and Nissan NV200. Responding to the wide-ranging demands for these vehicles in last-mile delivery and urban or suburban commercial uses, the Michelin Agilis CrossClimate features these exceptional benefits:

• Durability over extended mileage
• Towing and hauling heavy loads with confidence
• Improved protection from impacts, punctures and aggressions
• All-weather (or all-season) performance for year-round rough work conditions, as well as wet braking in high-stress applications

"Today's local fleets demand a product to meet their specific commercial needs, and the Agilis CrossClimate tire is our most durable tire for heavy-duty light trucks and for lighter commercial applications," said Adam Murphy, vice president of B2B marketing for Michelin. "Through engineering and innovation, Michelin has developed a tire that lasts longer under heavy loads, and also offers shorter wet-stopping distances and better snow traction than other leading competitive commercial tires."

The MICHELIN Agilis CrossClimate tire is engineered with multiple innovations:

MaxPressure Profile™ optimizes the tire footprint for better wear life under high pressure, heavy loads, high torque and stop-and-go driving. Additionally, the distinctive StabiliBlok™ design provides wider and longer tread blocks that resist extreme torque while providing relatively cooler operating temperatures under full loads and at high speeds. The MICHELIN Agilis CrossClimate LT-metric tire lasted up to 19 percent longer under heavy loads than the three leading competitors' comparable commercial tires¹.

SipeLock™ provides hundreds of biting edges for improved wet and snow traction without sacrificing tread-block stability. On wet pavement, the MICHELIN Agilis CrossClimate C-metric tire stopped up to 24 feet shorter and the LT-metric tire stopped up to 21 feet shorter than three leading competitors' comparable commercial tires^2,3. On snow-covered roads, the MICHELIN Agilis CrossClimate tire demonstrated better snow traction than three leading competitors' commercial tires⁴.

CurbGard™ sidewall protectors resist curb scrubbing in urban environments. This tire has more than twice as much nylon reinforcement as the MICHELIN^® Defender^® LTX^® M/S for improved sidewall strength and durability.

The C-Metric tire has a directional tread design, while the LT-metric uses a non-directional tread pattern.

With a "Three Peak Mountain Snowflake" (3PMSF) designation from the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association, the Agilis CrossClimate meets the tire industry's requirements for severe snow service and is designed to be a one-tire solution for drivers in climate zones with significant seasonal temperature changes⁵.

To learn more about Michelin's truck tires and services, visit www.michelintruck.com or www.michelinman.com.  

About MICHELIN NORTH AMERICA

Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks and motorcycles. The Company has earned a long-standing reputation for building innovative premium tires.  In addition to tires, the Company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America employs more than 20,000 people and operates 19 major manufacturing plants in the U.S. and Canada. Forbes magazine has ranked Michelin No. 1 on its annual survey of "Best Large Employers in America" for 2018. Learn more about purpose-driven careers with a purpose-driven company at jobs.michelinman.com.

¹ Based on a tread-wear test using tires in size LT265/70R17 121/118R on 2018 Ford F-250 pickup trucks, loaded to 9,800 lbs, measuring average projected mileage to end of life comparing the following competitors: MICHELIN^® Agilis^® CrossClimate^®, 24,500 miles; Bridgestone^® Duravis^™ M700 HD, 20,600 miles; Firestone^® Transforce^™ AT2, 22,000 miles; and Firestone^® Transforce^™ HT, 19,800 miles. Actual on-road results may vary.
² Based on internal wet-braking tests from 50 mph measuring average distance to stop using tires in size 235/65R16C 121/119R on a 2018 Ford Transit comparing the following competitors: MICHELIN^® Agilis^® CrossClimate^®, 112.4 feet; Continental^® VancoFourSeason^™, 137.0 feet; Hankook^® DynaPro HT, 119.2 feet; and General^® Grabber^™ HD, 132.4 feet. Actual on-road results may vary.
³ Based on internal wet-braking tests from 50 mph using tires in size LT265/70R17 121/118R on a 2018 Ford F-250 versus MICHELIN^® Agilis^® CrossClimate^®, 147.5 feet; Bridgestone^® Duravis^™ M700 HD, 151.6 feet; Firestone^® Transforce^™ AT2, 158.0 feet; and Firestone^® Transforce^™ HT, 169.3 feet. Actual on-road results may vary.
⁴ Based on internal snow-handling tests using tires in size LT265/70R17 121/118R on a 2018 Ford F-250 versus the following competitors and measuring average acceleration performance (%): MICHELIN^® Agilis^® CrossClimate^®, 100%; Bridgestone^® Duravis^™ M700 HD, 73%; Firestone^® Transforce^™ AT2, 91%; and Firestone^® Transforce^™ HT, 94%. Actual on-road results may vary.
⁵ Meets the USTMA (U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association) snow-traction performance requirements.

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SOURCE Michelin