A wheel assembly includes a rigid wheel and an airless flexible tire with certain performance characteristics of a pneumatic tire. The rigid wheel includes a central portion and a plurality of circumferentially spaced mounting elements removably attached to a radially outer margin of the central portion. The tire is mounted on the wheel and engages the mounting elements such that portions of the tire not engaging the mounting elements are separated radially from the wheel by a space. The tire is configured such that portions of the tire not engaging the mounting elements flex inwardly toward the wheel when subject to ground engaging pressure, thereby minimizing ground penetration and soil disruption. The tire may include one or more tension elements embedded in the tire to increase the tire's strength and resilience.

A wheel assembly includes a rigid wheel and an airless flexible tire with certain performance characteristics of a pneumatic tire. The rigid wheel includes a central portion and a plurality of circumferentially spaced mounting elements removably attached to a radially outer margin of the central portion. The tire is mounted on the wheel and engages the mounting elements such that portions of the tire not engaging the mounting elements are separated radially from the wheel by a space. The tire is configured such that portions of the tire not engaging the mounting elements flex inwardly toward the wheel when subject to ground engaging pressure, thereby minimizing ground penetration and soil disruption. The tire may include one or more tension elements embedded in the tire to increase the tire's strength and resilience.

A vehicle wheel hub assembly including an axle extending along an axial axis, a hub shell with a hub flange that is rotatable about the axle, a bearing and at least one spoke assembled and connected to the hub flange at the opening. The hub flange includes an opening to receive the spoke. The axle includes an aperture that serves to provide assembly clearance to reduce or eliminate deformation of the spoke during the assembly of the spoke with the opening.

A driver key is provided for coupling a rim base and a bead seat band of a wheel rim assembly together. The driver key includes a body having a first engagement surface and a second engagement surface. The first and second engagement surfaces are each oriented at an angle of less than ninety degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the body.

A wheel assembly to be coupled to a hub of a vehicle may include an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle and an outer rim surrounding the inner rim. The wheel assembly may also include gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim to provide a gas suspension for relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim. Each of the gas springs may have a controllable gas pressure. The wheel assembly also includes a wheel rotational position sensor, a vehicle operator control input interface, and a controller configured to control the gas pressure in each of the gas springs in a pattern in response to the wheel rotational position sensor and vehicle operator control input interface to assist in one of overcoming a rolling resistance of the wheel and a braking of the wheel.