ARWIMS

Retractable Paddle Wheels

The world’s leading tire manufacturers agree: airless tires represent a major breakthrough and are widely seen as the future of the tire industry.

But the benefits of airless tires go far beyond improved safety, durability, or environmental performance. By removing the need for airtightness, airless tire technology paves the way for a new generation of intelligent tires capable of dynamically adapting to terrain conditions.

Imagine a tire that can deploy, through its tread, structures tailored in real time to the environment: studs for soft ground, automatically adjusting paddles to escape mud or snow, or even vanes enabling movement across water surfaces. These features are designed not only for boats and all types of watertight vehicles navigating on water, but underdoing tests proove that it also makes it possible to drive at high speed, as the water resistance then becomes similar to that of a hard surface.

Such structures retract automatically when returning to regular roads. The same tire may also optimize its contact patch to reduce energy consumption in urban settings or maximize grip for sporty driving.

The applications extend far beyond passenger cars: construction equipment, agricultural vehicles, and military machinery all stand to benefit. In many cases, these tires may replace traditional tracks, which are often slower, more fragile, and more expensive.

The most radical change will come from floating vehicles, now able to bypass port infrastructure. Thanks to amphibious wheels, these vehicles may exit the water via a beach or ramp and directly access a road or parking area.

This opens up new possibilities for river transport of people and goods along waterways currently deemed unnavigable, with potentially profound impacts on regional economies and global logistics.

Paddles can protrude from the tread in part of the wheel rotation cycle. They can be projected either in the lower part of the cycle to drive fast, or further forward to get the vehicle out of the mud or to make it rise to the surface of the water in order to reduce its drag.

Instead of seeing its tracks sink into the mud, the vehicle frees itself by modifying the angular sector in which the paddles exit the wheel.	Sailing in water is much faster and more energy efficient because the forward-facing paddles help lift the vehicle above the surface like foils do.

All paddles can protrude and retract simultaneously. This limits friction and wear, since the paddles only move within their housings when driving conditions change.

Blades deploy and retract in perfect synchronization, changing position only when driving conditions require an adjustment.	Blades remain fully retracted at all times when the wheel is rolling on hard surfaces, thanks to their constant contact with the ground.

The mechanism that allows their movement is very simple and light, because the effort to be made to obtain this protrusion is very low. The resistance opposed by mud, snow or water cannot retract the blade when it is extended.

It may be as simple as an elastic return that pushes the blade outwards, but only when nothing opposes this exit, which has the effect that the blade retracts when it meets a hard ground or any obstacle.

IMPORTANT: The deployment of the paddles is proportional to the softness of the soil. When driving on water, the surface of the water becomes harder with the speed, which means paddles are fully deployed when navigating slowly, but much less deployed at high speed.

Examples

One day at sea, the next parked outside the fish market...
		No outboard. No propeller. Just wheels. But not your average ones - ARWIMS wheels. - In the water, the paddles extend to push the boat forward. - On land, they retract so it can roll up to the dock like nothing happened. ARWIMS retractable paddle wheels let you travel on water and land, with the same vehicle.
No traffic jams? No problem. This delivery truck just takes the river. It sails in the morning and delivers downtown by noon...
		All thanks to ARWIMS wheels. Paddle blades out on water, tucked in on land. It swims like a boat, then drives like a van. ARWIMS retractable paddle wheels let you travel on water and land, with the same vehicle.
High-speed chase across the harbor - 120 km/h between cargo ships. Arrest made dockside - suspect already in the back seat.
		No need to wait for the patrol boat or deploy a dinghy. This special unit drives on water and pavement alike. Thanks to ARWIMS wheels: paddles out for speed, paddles in for duty. ARWIMS retractable paddle wheels let you move on water and land, all in one vehicle.
Flooded city? No problem - the fire brigade shows up on a barge, full throttle on wheels. No propellers to break on hidden debris...
		The paddles auto-retract if things get rough! Victims rescued, ramp climbed, back to dry land - no vehicle switch needed. ARWIMS retractable paddle wheels let you operate on water and land, even when things get messy.
Muddy field? No problem. While others sink, this one glides right through the sludge.
		With its ARWIMS wheels, the paddles deploy, lift kicks in, And the tractor pulls itself out like a sneaky hovercraft. Then? Straight onto the road, paddles retracted, cruising like a champ. ARWIMS retractable paddle wheels let you drive through water, mud, or pavement - without ever leaving your seat.
Romantic joyride across the lake... Fancy dinner downtown just an hour later.
		No boat. No trailer. Just a convertible… with aquatic wheels. Paddles out for speed on the lake, Then neatly retracted to pull up at the restaurant like nothing happened. ARWIMS retractable paddle wheels let you drive on water and land, in the same car - even in evening wear.
Flying at 50 knots, sun-kissed on the flybridge... One hour later: parked on the dock, cocktail in hand.
		This cabin cruiser doesn’t wait for harbor space. It drives straight from the bay to the beach bar. Paddles out to glide over the sea, Then tucked in to cruise onto dry land - no docking drama. ARWIMS retractable paddle wheels let you drive on water and land, no anchor (or drink) required.
One tender rolling across the water at high speed, delivering guests in VIP style… Another just chilling on the beach like it’s perfectly normal.
		No more bumpy, splashy Zodiacs. This one drives you dry, straight to shore. Paddles out for speed on the sea, Paddles in to park like an ATV on the sand. ARWIMS retractable paddle wheels let you drive on water and land, no need to get your feet wet.
River in the way? No detour needed. This luxury camper cruises right through, enjoying the view on the go.
		A few minutes later: parked in a quiet field, deck chairs out, river sounds nearby, not a soul in sight. Paddles out to glide across the water, then tucked in to roll gently to the perfect picnic spot. ARWIMS retractable paddle wheels let you drive on both water and land, and reach places no RV has ever dared.
Deep snow? No slipping. Frozen lake? No problem - it cruises right over.
		This couple is exploring every inch of the mountain, bundled up, cozy, and never needing to step off. ARWIMS wheels paddle through snow and water, then tuck away when it's time to roll smooth. ARWIMS retractable paddle wheels let you drive on water, snow, or land - with just one vehicle (and warm gloves).>