Continental launches ContiSpringContact 1 in Europe – first air-free tyre commercially available

Pressure loss and punctures are two unfortunate realities car owners have to deal with regardless of tyres, and we reckon that for many it would be a dream come true if somebody can come up with a tyre that has no need for periodic check of air pressures and impervious to punctures.

Well, that dream is now a reality as Continental has launched its new ContiSpringContact 1 tyre for European consumers. Rather than air, the tyre’s shape is maintained by rubber-coated springs which also help give the tyre the flexibility it requires. Smart rubber rings attached to the sides of the rim then serve to counteract lateral forces during hard cornering.

Outwardly, the new ContiSpringContact 1 retains the appearance of a standard tyre compared with the relevant sidewall labels. Tread pattern is based on the ContiEcoContact 5.

The biggest hurdle in the development of the tyre’s development was to recreate the ride and feel of traditional pneumatic tyres with one that is underpinned by a radically different structure. Development engineer Ivan Eydea recalls how the first prototypes ‘bounced about like kangaroos’ on the test track.

Things have progressed rapidly since, and for the past one year, Continental has secretly fielded a fleet of some 40 vehicles in the Hannover region shod in ContiSpringContact 1 tyres. Test drivers reported comparable performance with traditional tyres with tyre durability even doubling.

The new ContiSpringContact 1 goes on sale at retailers today in 23 different sizes for rims ranging from 14 to 17 inches and, depending on the dimensions, speeds up to 240 km/h. Continental plans to add more sizes in the future, particularly for SUVs.