California approves rules phasing out some tires; manufacturers warn could increase upfront costs

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — California energy regulators have approved new rules that will phase out some replacement tires sold in the state that do not meet energy-efficiency requirements.

The standards target replacement tires that fail to meet the new efficiency requirements. State regulators say the changes will help drivers save money on fuel over time.

Tire manufacturers, however, argue the rules could increase upfront costs for consumers by hundreds of dollars.

“Families in California that are struggling with affordability, it’s going to increase their costs by hundreds of dollars in phase 2, and we’ve highlighted that, even using the CEC’s own data, you can see that; we’re rather disappointed that they moved forward with phase 2,” Bret Gladfelty said.

Supporters of the regulations say the long-term savings outweigh the initial expense.

“We’re committed to getting this right, we’re only doing it because we know it will save Californians money. We’re going to monitor, we’re going to do our enforcement well. We have decades of experience with this,” Nancy Skinner said.

Under the approved timeline, the first phase of the new standards will take effect in 2029, followed by stricter requirements in 2033.