could potentially wipe out 70% of the tires currently available to California drivers<\/a>, opponents say \u2014 and inflate the cost of an average set by hundreds of dollars.<\/p>\n\u201cI already can\u2019t afford to buy a new set of tires,\u201d said Kenny Cabello, a student from Long Beach who spoke to The California Post as he wiped down his pickup truck at a local car wash Tuesday. \u201cI\u2019m not sure what I\u2019m going to do.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cabello said he needs a new set of tires for his Nissan soon. As a regular commuter who feels the pinch of California\u2019s highest-in-the-nation gas prices, he\u2019s already been researching the most fuel-efficient options.<\/p>\n
The change could potentially wipe out 70% of the tires currently available to California drivers. Pedro Colo for CA Post<\/p>\n
\u201cI already can\u2019t afford to buy a new set of tires,\u201d said driver Kenny Cabello. Pedro Colo for CA Post<\/p>\n
M and M Tires and other shops are already struggling. Pedro Colo for CA Post<\/p>\n
\u201cSome brands say they\u2019ll save you a couple of miles per gallon on the highway,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I\u2019ve also talked to buddies, and they say it doesn\u2019t really make a difference.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
Democrats like Gov. Gavin Newsom have trumpeted estimates saying the new rules would save drivers $1 billion a year.<\/p>\n
But that was contradicted by state testimony given by tire industry leaders, who said that actual price increases could reach several hundred dollars by the 2030s.<\/p>\n
According to the Tire Industry Association, average tire prices could increase from $81 to up to $157. If someone purchased four new tires for his or her car, the difference could exceed $300 per vehicle.<\/p>\n
Rance Hamilton said car costs are already hitting his wallet. \u201cEverything is going to hell.\u201d Pedro Colo for CA Post<\/p>\n
California will require most replacement tires to meet new standards starting in 2029. Pedro Colo for CA Post<\/p>\n
Miguel Santana, owner of M and M Tires in Long Beach, told the Post the higher costs are going to hurt his business.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s gonna be rough,\u201d said Santana, a 15-year veteran of the tire business who runs the shop with his dad and sister.<\/p>\n
\u201cEighty percent of customers coming in just want the cheapest tires available. Some of them will hear the price of a new tire, and they\u2019ll get scared off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Santana said that higher prices of new tires will compel many buyers to buy used, since previously owned tired costs about half the price of new one.<\/p>\n
Drivers are already paying the highest gas prices in the US. Getty Images<\/p>\n
Gov. Gavin Newsom saying the rules will save drivers money. Anadolu via Getty Images<\/p>\n
Other buyers will put off buying tires for as long as possible, he and other shop owners said, hurting sales at a time when many such tire businesses are already struggling.<\/p>\n
Rance Hamilton, a forklift operator from Long Beach, said car costs are already hitting his wallet. If tire prices rise, he\u2019ll delay purchasing replacements as long as possible and buy used ones when the time finally comes.<\/p>\n
\u201cTires are really expensive and auto work is really expensive,\u201d said Hamilton. \u201cEverything is going to hell.\u201d <\/p>\n
Goodyear\u2019s Brad Gladfelty said the tire industry\u2019s opposition to the new rules isn\u2019t an argument against tire efficiency, but a question of whether regulators have adequately demonstrated that the move will actually be cost-effective for consumers.<\/p>\n
Some drivers will put off buying tires for as long as possible, tire shop owners said. Pedro Colo for CA Post<\/p>\n
\u201cThe record does not support the conclusion that [the rules] will reduce overall consumer costs,\u201d read a letter Gladfelty sent to the California Energy Commission on July 27.<\/p>\n
U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association spokeswoman Kim Kleine said other big tire makers aren\u2019t sold on the new rules, either.<\/p>\n
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\u201cSignificant concerns remain, including replacement tire compatibility and consistent enforcement that protects consumers and supports fair competition,\u201d Kleine said. \u201cWe urge the Commission to resolve these concerns before implementation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Officials say the rules will make replacement tires at least as energy-efficient, on average, as the tires originally installed on new cars and trucks.<\/p>\n
A customer is seen at Just Tires in Venice, California, on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. (Jonathan Alcorn) Jonathan Alcorn for CA Post<\/p>\n
Officials say the rules will make replacement tires at least as energy-efficient, on average, as the tires originally installed on new cars and trucks. Pedro Colo for CA Post<\/p>\n
The first phase begins in 2029, when replacement tires will have to meet a maximum rolling-resistance level of 9.1 newtons per kilonewton. That threshold drops to 7.2 in 2033.<\/p>\n
The CEC estimates drivers could save $79 in gas or electricity costs within four months under the first phase phrase of the regulations, and about $153 within seven months under the second.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese regulations are a tool within our authority that can save money for every Californian,\u201d said Commissioner Nancy Skinner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"California drivers just can\u2019t catch a brake. Golden State motorists and business owners are fuming over fresh regulations…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":436896,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[7,9,8,6996,457,4182,234,3586],"class_list":["post-436895","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-california","tag-california","tag-california-headlines","tag-california-news","tag-cars","tag-gavin-newsom","tag-metro","tag-prices","tag-us-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/436895","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=436895"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/436895\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/436896"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=436895"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=436895"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=436895"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}