Why California's new replacement tire rules will raise prices

Why California's new replacement tire rules will raise prices CALIFORNIA POST California drivers, look out. 70% of the replacement tires on the market today could be illegal in the state of California in the next several years. It's just another thing about life in California that's becoming more expensive in the name of a green environmental agenda. That's because the California Energy Commission unanimously approved new regulations to impose a maximum rolling resistance on replacement tires. Rolling resistance measures how much resistance a tire experiences down the road. And the California Energy Commission is saying tires should approximate the low rolling resistance of new tires. They say that will save drivers money in the long run, because it'll save them miles driven and save them dollars at the pump. But you'd think that if that were the case, people wouldn't need to be forced to buy a certain set of ties. You think people would figure this out on their own anyway, and save money on gas by buying a slightly more expensive tire. The tire manufacturers say that the new set of approved tires could actually be a lot more expensive than regulators anticipate, and they're also upset about not being able to sell tires that they already produce. The first rolling resistance restrictions go into effect in 2029, and they get tighter and tighter after that. California is the first state to regulate replacement tires in this way, and it could inspire other blue states to do the same. Although look for the red Republican-run states to move in the opposite direction.