California just became the first state to address a problem most people don\u2019t know they have: inefficient tires.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When automakers design a new vehicle, low rolling resistance tires are one of the least expensive ways to improve fuel economy. But they must eventually be replaced, and experts say replacements are often less efficient. This can result in internal combustion vehicles burning more gasoline and EVs needing more electricity.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very difficult or impossible for consumers to know how energy efficient their tires are going to be,\u201d said Brian Fadie, senior manager for state policy at the Appliance Standards Awareness Project. \u201cAs a result, many people unknowingly buy tires that cost them more money than necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Monday, the California Energy Commission unanimously approved a rule that would phase in the nation\u2019s first standards for tire efficiency. The rule<\/a> is \u201cdesigned to ensure that replacement tires sold in the state are at least as energy efficient, on average, as tires sold in the state as original equipment.\u201d It would also establish a labeling system that gives tires a \u201cleaf\u201d rating, to make it easier for consumers to find the best options. In addition to saving drivers money, the state projects that the changes could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2 million tons annually, which it says is equivalent to taking around 400,000 cars off the road.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe are proud to approve the nation\u2019s first replacement tire efficiency standards,\u201d said commission chair David Hochschild, in a press release<\/a>. \u201cThis action will help Californians save approximately $1 billion a year on refueling while reducing pollution and extending the range of vehicles on the road.\u201d<\/p>\n California\u2019s regulations will take effect in two phases, with the first targeting the most inefficient tires starting in 2029 and the second, stricter standard beginning in 2033. The timeline is longer than initially proposed, to address the concerns of some manufacturers who wanted more time to adapt. The rule also comes with exemptions including snow tires and those used in competition. All-weather tires are also excluded, but the state will track them, as that growing segment may be regulated in the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n Karim Marshall, director of climate and energy policy at the Consumer Federation of America, criticized the delayed timeline and the number of carveouts. But he says even that version of the rule marks significant progress. \u201cWe aren\u2019t going to let the perfect be the enemy of the good,\u201d he said. Bill Magavern, the policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air, a nonprofit focused on public health in California, agreed that the regulation was necessary. \u201cManufacturers do not do the right thing on their own,\u201d he said. \u201cThey need the government to set smart standards.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Reducing the rolling resistance of a tire isn\u2019t technically that difficult, said Fadie. Incorporating more silica, for example, improves not only efficiency but traction as well. Rubber chemistry and tread designs can also lead to gains. The debate centers around the cost of those improvements, and the tire industry appears split on the rule. <\/p>\n Some, like ENSO and Michelin, publicly endorsed at least parts of the rule. Speaking at Monday\u2019s commission meeting, Francesca Mosteller, director of state and local government affairs for Michelin North America, said \u201cwe support the efficiency goals and believe the proposed thresholds in this rulemaking are technically feasible within the defined timeframes.\u201d<\/p>\n Others are opposed to the changes. \u201cThese tires are broadly more expensive than the typical tire you find on the marketplace today,\u201d said Christian Robinson, senior director of state government affairs for the Specialty Equipment Market Association, or SEMA, which represents the automotive parts industry. \u201cOur concern is that this will create undue burdens on working-class families.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The energy commission calculated that more efficient tires cost between $6 and $26 more per set<\/a>, but that increase is more than offset by reduced fuel consumption. It put net savings at $85 to $153 over the lifetime of the tire when gasoline is $4.60 a gallon, though the savings could be 25 percent higher with this year\u2019s price spikes. An estimate SEMA cited from consultant Gladfelty Government Relations<\/a>, however, put the added cost as high as $365.20.\u00a0<\/p>\n Robinson said he had hoped the commission would take a step back \u201cgiven that there\u2019s a disagreement about the economic impact.\u201d But Marshall, the consumer advocate, said industry figures are misleading.<\/p>\n Whatever the case, the energy commission approved the rule. It\u2019s a move that has been in the works since 2003, when the Legislature passed a law calling for such regulation. The state worked toward this goal for a few years but paused in 2007 when the federal government took over the cause. That effort never materialized and the project languished until about 2020, when the energy commission revived it.<\/p>\n With the rule now final, supporters say the impacts could be numerous and widespread. More efficient tires should, for instance, help\u00a0EVs use less juice, easing demand on already stressed electric grids<\/a>. At the very least, the leaf rating system should make shopping easier. Similar to the Energy Star label, or the snowflake rating system for snow and all-weather tires, more leaves will mean a more efficient tire, with a four-leaf rating denoting the greatest efficiency. The one hitch is that manufacturers can choose whether or not to display the label, so consumers may have a look up the model in the state\u2019s online database.\u00a0<\/p>\n Everyone agrees that, given California\u2019s size, this rule will likely spill over into other states. \u201cWhat happens in California, doesn\u2019t stay in California,\u201d said Robinson, pointing to the state\u2019s tail pipe emission standards, which 17 states and the District of Columbia now enforce. A similar ripple occurred with California\u2019s LED lightbulb rules<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n As for tire efficiency, Fadie said Washington and Rhode Island are among those considering following California\u2019s lead. He added that these steps are important because, while the Golden State\u2019s rule will likely buoy the national market, it\u2019s not a guarantee.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOther states,\u201d said Fadie, \u201ccould create certainty for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"California just became the first state to address a problem most people don\u2019t know they have: inefficient tires.\u00a0…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":435713,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[7,9,8,10555,1301,14287,1967,19031],"class_list":["post-435712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-california","tag-california","tag-california-headlines","tag-california-news","tag-cities","tag-regulation","tag-solutions","tag-transportation","tag-yahoo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/435712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=435712"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/435712\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/435713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=435712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=435712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=435712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}