Overview
- The California Energy Commission voted Monday to adopt the Replacement Tire Efficiency Program, a unanimous decision that will phase in statewide rules beginning in 2029 and tighten in 2033.
- The standard sets rolling‑resistance ceilings for covered passenger and light‑truck replacement tires, roughly 9.1 N/kN in phase 1 and about 7.2 N/kN in phase 2, to align replacements with original‑equipment efficiency.
- The rule includes many explicit exemptions such as snow, motorcycle, competition, used and retreaded, and limited‑production tires, and the commission said it will verify compliance through lab testing of models and spot checks at retailers.
- Major manufacturers and trade groups warned the measures could raise upfront tire costs, remove a large share of current models from the California market, and create enforcement gaps for low‑cost imports and limited production runs.
- The action traces to a 2003 state law and, according to the commission, could cut about 141 million gallons of fuel and roughly 2 million tons of CO2 annually while potentially influencing tire markets beyond California.