Michelin will start selling it’s all-new CrossClimate tire in Europe in May 2015, becoming the first tire manufacturer to fuse both summer and winter technology, delivering safety, simplicity and economy all at the same time.

Michelin have always been at the forefront of new tire technology. The fact that they’ve just unveiled the world’s first tire that you can safely use throughout the year (no matter the weather) comes as no surprise.

What they’ve achieved with the all-new CrossClimate is that it brakes in short distances on dry ground (which is what you want in the summer), it has the highest European label rating of “A” for wet braking (which is what you want in the rain) and it’s certified for winter use, identifiable by the 3PMSF (3-Peak Mountain Snow Flake) symbol on the sidewall (which is what you want in the winter).

This means you can use the CrossClimate tires in countries where fitting winter tires is a legal requirement.

The CrossClimate is a product of three combined technologies. First Michelin have developed an innovative tread compound, able to adhere to the slightest roughness of the road surface under all conditions. Second, they’ve inserted a new material beneath the tread which optimizes the energy efficiency by reducing heat generation – thus improving fuel efficiency.

Next, they’ve combined a unique V tread pattern with their new 3D interlocking sipes which optimizes grip on snow both laterally and longitudinally because of both the angle of the central area of the tread as well as the angle being more flared in the shoulder areas.

Before developing the CrossClimate tire, Michelin put their stats hats on and found out that 65% of European drivers use summer tires all year long, jeopardizing their safety in cold weather, snow and ice. These figures rise to 76% in France, where there are no regulatory constraints.

They’ve also found that 4 in 10 European motorists view their yearly tire change as a constraint and leave it until the very last minute. We have to admit, we’re a bit surprised these numbers aren’t higher as we know everybody dreads their yearly tire change.

When launched, the new Michelin CrossClimate will be available in 23 different sized from 15 to 17 inches, covering 70% of the European market – with further sizes scheduled for 2016.

Also, make sure to check out this awesome interactive microsite that Micheline cooked up for us.

PHOTOS

VIDEO