Overview
- The California Energy Commission unanimously adopted the rule on Monday, setting a 2029 rolling-resistance cap of 9.1 N/kN and a stricter 7.2 N/kN limit for 2033.
- The commission projects the rule will save drivers about $1 billion a year in fuel and cut roughly 2 million tons of CO2 annually by making replacement tires at least as efficient as original equipment.
- Enforcement will rely on lab testing of manufacturer claims and spot checks at retailers, and the rule includes explicit carveouts for motorsports, many winter and all-weather tires, retreads, small production runs and other specialty categories.
- Industry reaction is split: Bridgestone and Michelin signaled conditional support for parts of the rule while Goodyear and trade groups such as the USTMA warn the commission underestimated price impacts and raised concerns about enforcing standards for imported and niche tires.
- The action fulfills a 2003 legislative mandate, follows multi-year testing of 537 tire models to set thresholds, and is likely to influence tire offerings nationwide as other states watch California’s market-led example.