CA Drivers To Foot The Bill For Controversial New Rule

Controversial new standards enacted this week to improve tire and fuel efficiency in California will limit the buyer's options for new tires.

According to the California Energy Commission, replacement tires do not deliver the same fuel efficiency as tires originally sold with new vehicles. The new regulations passed by the California Energy Commission Monday will require replacement tires to close the gap. It affects most tires sold in California. California will become the first nation to essentially regulate how much a tire retains its shape as the vehicle drives. The more a tire deforms, the more fuel a vehicle has to burn.

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"The new tire efficiency standards that my commission just adopted yesterday will ensure that the tires sold in 2029 will be the same quality, just as good as the tires that are on your brand new car when you drive it off the lot," Nancy Skinner, a commissioner with the California Energy Commission, said, according to KTLA.

California regulators argued that the higher standards will result in only modest price increases that drivers will recover through fuel savings over time.

"This ultimately is about protecting consumers," Chairman of the California Energy Commission David Hochschild told Fox. "I see this as sheltering the public from higher costs in the long run."

The regulations will be implemented in two phases, the first in 2029 and the second in 2033, according to state regulators.

According to the California Energy Commission, California drivers may save $79 in fuel or electricity costs over four months during phase 1, and about $153 over seven months during Phase 2.

The rule has come under fire from tire manufacturers. Critics of the regulations argue that the new regulations will lead to significantly higher tire prices.

Goodyear voiced concerns over the mandate, stating that it would pass additional costs onto consumers, NBC reported.

Goodyear representatives told KTLA that about 70 percent of the tires sold in the state would be eliminated by 2033.

According to KTLA, a coalition of tire companies and industry organizations sent a letter to the commission urging it to reject the regulations.

"Observable market evidence demonstrates that this assumption is not realistic. Tires capable of meeting rolling-resistance performance consistent with the proposed Phase 2 standard are typically priced hundreds of dollars more per set than baseline alternatives," the letter said. "When realistic pricing is applied, the modest fuel savings projected by the SRIA are insufficient to offset the increased upfront costs over the life of tires."