Michelin Gains PAX Customers in N. America

DETROIT – Michelin Group says its PAX tire/wheel system is gaining traction in North America, where two new vehicles will offer the device later this year.

PAX, which debuted in North America on the ’05 Honda Odyssey minivan, will launch on the two vehicles from non-Big Three auto makers this year, and it is in development for an additional two or three vehicles, says Erwin Wall, executive vice president-Michelin North America Inc.

Wall says Michelin expects to run PAX production at a 200,000- to 250,000-unit clip annually in North America by the end of the year. The new applications this year will be on “some vehicles built in North America and some imported,” he says.

PAX tire applications gaining.

Wall says PAX has been up and down when it comes to European applications, but there is one OEM that recently has shown interest in the system and may be close to offering it on several models across its lineup.

He says the Odyssey application (available on premium Touring editions of the minivans) has been a success, and Honda currently is capacity-limited on the vehicles.

Michelin has been trying to persuade other tire makers to adopt the PAX system in order to turn the technology into an industry standard. Wall says he knows of one competitor working with Michelin on offering its own PAX-compatible tires.

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