California regulators approve new rules limiting what replacement tires you can buy for your car
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
California regulators on Monday approved new rules that will restrict what tires you can buy when it’s time to replace them on your car.
In a unanimous vote, the California Energy Commission voted to adopt new rules that will phase out the sale of replacement tires that don’t meet certain energy efficiency standards.
“This ultimately is about protecting consumers,” said David Hochschild, the chairman of the California Energy Commission. “I see this as sheltering the public from higher costs in the long run.”
Tire manufacturers and the commission’s staff are at odds over whether this will add to the cost of living in the state. Both sides acknowledged this will no longer allow the sale of a significant portion of the tires currently sold in California.
At the center of this is a tire’s rolling resistance, or how much energy a tire uses as it rolls down the road. Lower resistance means a vehicle uses less gas or electricity. New cars come with generally efficient tires, but consumers typically replace those with higher rolling resistance tires.
The first phase would begin in 2029, which would allow the sale of tires with a maximum rolling resistance level of 9.1 newtons per kilonewton (N/kN). In phase 2, the standard lowers to 7.2 (N/kN) starting in 2033. The commission came up with the standards after testing 537 types of tires.
According to the commission’s staff, the rules are meant to ensure replacement tires sold in California are at least as energy efficient on average as the tires that come with the car or truck when it’s originally sold. The CEC claims Californians could save $79 in four months in gas or electricity costs under phase 1, and about $153 in phase 2 within seven months.
“These regulations are a tool within our authority that can save money for every Californian,” said Commissioner Nancy Skinner.
Tire manufacturers including Goodyear, disagree.
Bret Gladfelty, on behalf of Goodyear, told the commission that this will increase costs for consumers and said the commission had yet to resolve technical and legal issues with the rules.
In a letter to the CEC, Gladfelty had questioned the data the CEC released to the public about the cost of new tires, noting that while the commission says the price increases average about $6.50 per tire in phase 2, Gladfelty warned increase costs could actually end up being in the several hundreds of dollars.
Gladfelty told KCRA 3 this new rule will eliminate an estimated 70% of the tires currently sold in California by 2033.
Other tire manufacturers such as Bridgestone and Michelin were concerned about how exactly the CEC would enforce the rules that could create an uneven playing field that could negatively impact the larger manufacturers.
Commission staff said they’ll use a test lab to test out tires to verify the information manufacturers provide them and also check in with retailers.
Environmental advocates urged the commission to adopt the rules citing better air quality and other environmental benefits.
There are some exclusions to the new rules, according to the CEC:
- Competition tires designed for motorsports
- Winter-type snow tires
- All-season winter performance tires
- Used and retreaded tires
- Deep tread tires
- Tires designed for ATVs and other off-road vehicles
- Large off-road tires for use up to 99 mph
- Motorcycle tires
- Temporary-use spare tires
- Small tires with ≤13-inch nominal rim diameter
- Limited production tires (<15,000 per year)
- Tires sold for use on an emergency vehicle
- High load index tires (122 or greater)
- Tires not capable of sustaining speeds over 50 mph
- Space saver tires
Monday’s action stems from a bill state lawmakers approved in 2003, AB 844, that directed the energy commission to explore rules around tire efficiency.
Hochschild admitted he had no idea about the legislation until Skinner brought it up. Skinner is a well-known environmentalist who, as a State Senator, wrote several current state laws regulating the oil and gas industry.
After the vote, KCRA 3 asked Skinner if she pushed the rulemaking process around tires. She didn’t directly answer the question but says it was a joint effort with the other commissioners.
“If I had been on the commission 20 years ago, maybe it wouldn’t have taken so long,” Skinner said.
When asked why the CEC didn’t act on the legislation for the last two decades, Skinner said, “there may not have been those cost pressures.”
The CEC has never regulated tires. It is now the first state to create such a rule.
“This is a partnership,” said CEC Vice Chairman Siva Gunda, who said conversations with the industry would be ongoing as the rule takes effect.
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