Michelin says its CrossClimate technology its most important innovation in tyres for a decade, and that claim was put to the test on dry, wet and simulated ice conditions, using a ceramic-tiled road surface.
“The difference in grip between CrossClimate tyres and the [unnamed] competitor’s summer tyres was much greater than I thought it would be,” states John Heussi, head of fleet services at Cheshire Police.
“Combining year-round mobility in a product where the total cost of ownership is good, and tyre life is increased, is the perfect position for us,” he adds.
And Scott Roberts, fleet manager at Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, agrees. “Performing back-to-back comparisons between the CrossClimate tyres and the competitor’s summer fitments was eye-opening,” he says.
“Fitting CrossClimate tyres could enable us to run a single tread pattern on our light vehicles year-round, meaning an end to swapping between summer and winter tyres,” he continues.
“In some of our far reaching rural locations we have to bring vehicles in from up to 100 miles away just to change the tyres. There would be a significant cost saving in the logistics alone, and that’s before we look at the CrossClimate’s increased longevity,” he explains.
“In the dry, there was no discernible reduction in performance to the premium summer tyres,” comments Glynn Richardson, fleet manager at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
“However, in wet conditions with reduced grip there was a marked difference with the CrossClimate tyres performing significantly better... We have struggled to justify dedicated winter tyres because of the storage and cost implications. This tyre eliminates these issues and will be introduced into the fleet.”
Michelin hosted the test day due to the large numbers of blue light fleets currently switching between summer and winter tyres, coupled with the need for crews to reach incidents quickly and safely.
CrossClimate tyres were launched internationally at the Geneva Motor Show this year.
They are available in 23 sizes ranging from 15 to 17 inches, covering 70% of cars and car-derived vans sold in Europe.
Additional sizes spanning the 15 to 17 inch spectrum, plus new sizes at 14 and 18 inches, are expected in 2016.