As more last-mile pickup-and-delivery fleets spec their tires for cost per mile, overall mileage, durability, and low-rolling resistance, many fleets also are moving toward more sustainable tire solutions and practices in today’s world of growing environment, social, and governance standards. Contributing to sustainable mobility with longer tread life for urban and regional transportation, Michelin just announced it is rolling out the new Agilis HD Z 19.5 tire.
The Agilis HD Z 19.5 tire will replace the Michelin XZE tire in the two current 19.5-inch sizes (225/70R19.5 LRG and 245/70R19.5 LRH) in October. Offering durability, mileage, and wet traction for high-stress urban and regional commercial applications, Michelin said the Agilis HD Z 19.5 tire delivers the same performance of the XZE tire with improved rolling resistance.
See also: Last-mile tire treads: Where the rubber meets the road
In addition, the Agilis HD Z 19.5 tire features a five-rib, zigzag tread that combines water evacuation with an aggressive pattern, as well as longer-lasting tread life.
“Urban and regional drivers rely heavily on their tires for performance. Having vehicles down can cost owners and fleet managers thousands of dollars a day in lost deliveries,” Jaye Young, B2B onroad marketing director for Michelin North America, said in a press release. “The new Michelin Agilis HD Z 19.5 tire is the natural evolution of our already bestselling Michelin XZE brand, offering 34% more miles, better wet grip, and lower rolling resistance than the leading competitors. This makes the Agilis HD Z tire a tremendous investment for owners and managers looking to get the most out of their tires and maximize their investment.”
According to Michelin, the new tire includes:
- Groove-bottom protectors to help deliver additional defense against stone drilling.
- Variable-pitch groove walls to help prevent stones from lodging in the tread, to extend casing life, and improve retreadability.
- Full-width protector ply that helps protect the working plies from bruising and penetrations, lowering downtime.
- Curb guards that provide sidewall and shoulder protection.
