California recently passed a new tire mandate that has many consumers, including yours truly, feeling a bit irritated. Initially, the idea is based on fuel savings and a tire’s prolonged lifespan. Both of these things should be a benefit to consumers; however, it appears that they have forgotten some of the details of what makes a low rolling resistance tire somewhat less safe in various conditions. This is my biggest concern. Additionally, tire makers have commented that this new mandate will make tires much more expensive and will cut out up to 70% of the available tires currently on sale in California by the time the mandate has passed.
Here’s how it works
Progressively, rolling resistance will be lowered in several phases. This is how CA Assembly Bill 844 (CEC-600-2026-012) will work.
- Core rule: replacement aftermarket tires must meet specific maximum rolling resistance and wet-grip standards.
- Timeline: Phase 1 is targeted to begin around January 1, 2028, and Phase 2 around January 1, 2031.
- Stated Goals: Cut state fuel consumption, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and save drivers money over time.
Via: California Energy Commission
It is true that harder compound tires can last longer, but there’s also a very good reason why they are not considered superior when it comes to cold weather or wet weather performance. Additionally, many hard compound tires do take longer to stop, and part of that has to deal with their ability to adhere to the pavement. It’s one of the reasons why performance tires tend to stop quicker, and create more grip upon acceleration. Granted, we’re not talking about sticky Perelli P0’s, we’re talking about mid grade tires.
Not an OEM requirement
These are replacement tires we’re talking about, your second set, not the set that comes with the vehicle you buy from the OEM. That is to say, if you buy a new vehicle off the car lot, the tires on the vehicle may not adhere to California’s requirements. However, when you got to replace those tires, then the expenses upon
And I do mean expense. It’s estimated that the tires could go up to 30% higher than what they are for a regular set of economy tires. Amongst all the service that you have done to your vehicle, tires tend to be amongst the most expensive. This will make it very difficult for people who are on a lower budget.
Their take
” Tire efficiency has a significant impact on the energy consumption of vehicles. How easily a tire rolls, referred to as rolling resistance, affects how much drivers spend on fuel for their vehicle, whether gasoline, diesel, electricity, or hydrogen fuel. The regulations proposed in this staff report are, if adopted, expected to save each California driver of a gasoline passenger vehicle about $179 (2024 dollars) in fuel costs over the typical four-year life of a set of tires. In total, the regulations are anticipated to save California drivers about $979 million (2024 dollars) in fuel costs annually in 2035 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 2.0 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2035. This quantity is equivalent to about 1.9 percent of California’s 2021 passenger vehicle emissions.” – California Energy Commission
In conclusion
Not a single word about safety or performance in their statement. Look, I am more concerned about the safety issue than the question of expense. There may be ways to knock down the price a little bit, but as far as I know, super-hard compound tires just don’t perform as well as tires with more grip. I am also unsure how this will work with trucks and off-road vehicles. There are a lot of questions that have yet to be answered.
I believe the California Energy Commission should hold a few hearings and do some research before going any further. The safety of Californians and their financial well-being could be in the balance.
Contact information?
https://www.energy.ca.gov/publications/2026/californias-proposed-replacement-tire-efficiency-program
The authors of this bill are: Bill Blackburn, Julie Burbridge, Andrew Hom, Ralph Lee, Ken Rider, David Sakai, Sebastian Serrato, and Rachel Shuen
