MICHELIN (CGDE) 
By With the MICHELIN X® LINE™ Energy™ range, the tiremaker's third generation of fuel-efficient truck tires, Michelin wanted to make long-haul trucking companies more profitable while leveraging its technology to enable ever more efficient mobility. Trucking companies expect tire manufacturers to help them do their job safely even as they lower the total cost of ownership through fuel savings obtained by reducing rolling resistance and increasing tire longevity thanks to its "multi-life" strategy. That's why the name MICHELIN X® LINE™ Energy™ range represents a major step forward for truckers.
A new offering for tractor-trailer rigs is now available. It comprises 315/80 R 22.5-size tires for drive axles (D) and all positions (Z), as well as 385/65 R 22.5 tires for trailers. The new sizes extend the ranges of 315/70 R 22.5 and 385/55 R 22.5 tires brought to market in early 2013.
By expanding its lineup, Michelin is making the benefits of the MICHELIN X® LINE™ Energy™ range available to more truckers. In addition, the new offering for tractor-trailer rigs allows Michelin to do even more to enhance the efficiency of the trucking industry. The 315/80 R 22.5 and 385/65 R 22.5-size tires are especially important in the replacement market, where the standard tractor-trailer rig is still strongly represented, as well as in certain regions like Southern Europe where rigs are still in the majority. With this strategy, Michelin has demonstrated once again its attentiveness to truckers and the ability to rapidly deploy its innovations so that all trucking companies can benefit from real savings and an optimized total cost of ownership.
Generating real savings
Extremely demanding test procedures have enabled Michelin to confirm that the MICHELIN X® LINE™ Energy™ tires 80 and 65 series reduce fuel consumption by an average of 0.4 liters per 100 km on average over the tire's initial life cycle and up to 0.7 liters when the tire is new, compared with the same-size previous-generation tires.
Equally strict procedures applied this time by TÜV Automotive Sud, an independent certification organization, showed that when compared with other premium-brand truck tires, the MICHELIN X® LINE™ Energy™ tires 70 and 55 series tires generated fuel savings of up to 1.84 liters per 100 km (7.9%) versus the least fuel-efficient competitor, and 1.2 liters per 100 km (5.2%) compared with the average of its four main rivals. This means that operators can reduce operating expenses by more than €1,700 a year by optimizing their tire management solution.
For operators, however, the gain in total cost of ownership extends beyond fuel-savings. Michelin has been attentive to increasing tire life so that they can provide truckers with the same services over a longer time period. Compared with same-size tires in the previous-generation MICHELIN X Energy SaverGreen tires lineup, the new MICHELIN X® LINE™ Energy™ tires 80 and 65 series tires last up to 5% longer for drive axle tires and 14% for tractor tires.
These total cost of ownership gains are crucial at a time when a trucking company's fuel budget is higher than the budget for driver salaries. Truckers' profits have reached a critical point in a number of situations, to the extent that 25% of freight companies could be in danger by 2015. Given these conditions, a clear understanding of tire-related challenges truly represents the best investment.
Michelin Media Relations: + 33 1 45 66 22 22
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