Myth: California is banning 70% of tires.
Fact: This is about improving replacement tires, not eliminating them, to match the efficiency of tires that already exist when you get a new car. California is phasing in a standard that protects drivers from lower-quality, money-draining tires. Many replacement tires on the market today are inefficient, costing Californians billions of dollars. The California Energy Commission’s (CEC) tire efficiency target is modest and won’t take full effect until 2033, which is plenty of time for the market to get ready. The largest tire manufacturers and retailers in the world — including Michelin and Bridgestone — have confirmed that it is achievable while preserving safety, lifespan, and innovation. Retailers will continue to be able to sell their inventory without issue.
When CEC passed an efficiency standard for TVs in 2009, about 75% of the models didn’t initially comply. Since then, TVs have only gotten cheaper, bigger, and better, with no impact on consumers looking to buy a TV. As with every prior efficiency standard, consumers will continue to have a robust supply of replacement tires for all vehicle types.
Myth: California is taking away consumer choice, telling you what to buy.
Fact: Currently, consumers have no practical way to evaluate whether their tire is an energy hog or fuel saver. The adopted tire efficiency standard begins to fix that by creating the first-ever universal tire efficiency rating system in North America. Energy efficiency is bipartisan and commonly known as the first line of defense to cutting costs. The CEC was created by then-Governor Ronald Reagan in the 1970s and was charged with establishing efficiency standards that deliver savings for consumers. And that’s exactly what the CEC has done for 50 years. California efficiency standards for TVs, lighting, and more have saved consumers upwards of $200 billion while ensuring abundant consumer choice. Time and time again, innovation continues to bring consumers great products at great prices while these standards are in place.
Myth: These replacement tire standards will cost consumers hundreds of dollars.
Fact: These replacement tire standards will save consumers hundreds of dollars. The consumer cost of meeting the standard is very low – just a few dollars per tire. The savings come from greater fuel efficiency, saving you at the gas pump and the charging station. In the era of Trump’s high energy prices, tariffs, and prolonged Iran war, every little bit of savings helps working families.
The improvements to these tires pay for themselves very quickly. And that’s not just our view: that’s the conclusion of the federal National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which regularly analyzes the cost of increasing efficiency for tires. These tires save fuel by reducing the amount of internal friction within the tire material itself. Efficient, well-inflated tires are a super-saving combo for drivers.
The technology already exists to meet the Phase 2 standard. The tire efficiency matches average performance for new car tires and represents about 30% of replacement tires currently on the market. These tires include some of the most popular and affordable tires, including those priced below $100 per tire. The new efficiency standard will increase market competition for these efficient tires, which is good for consumers.
When opponents say the tires will cost hundreds more, they are making the assumption that only the highest-end tires can meet the targets, ignoring the fact that there are many affordable options on the market today that already meet the standard, six years before they need to. As manufacturers implement the technology ahead of Phase 1 and 2, consumer choice for efficient and affordable tires will increase.
Myth: Efficient tires don’t last as long.
Fact: Efficient tires do not compromise tire life. The CEC collected lifespan data for 89 of the most popular all-season replacement tires on the market from various manufacturers. Those tires averaged a lifespan of 54,000 miles. Tires in this study that met the new standard averaged 61,000 miles.
The standard is specifically designed to encourage manufacturers to produce longer-lasting tires, which save consumers money and reduces tire waste.
Myth: Efficient tires sacrifice safety.
Fact: The CEC spent the last five years developing this standard to ensure that it would not sacrifice safety. In fact, the standard improves tire safety by establishing the first traction safety standards in the country. The standard improves efficiency without a negative impact on safety, and is supported by studies on wet stopping distance, dry stopping distance, and even stopping distances in the case of worn tires. Simply put, this standard does not compromise on safety.
Myth: CEC doesn’t have the authority to restrict consumer choice.
Fact: In 2003, Assembly Bill 844 (Nation) directed the CEC to adopt a Replacement Tire Efficiency Program designed to ensure replacement tires for passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in California are at least as energy-efficient as original equipment tires on new vehicles. Similar tire efficiency efforts were started at the federal level by both Republican and Democratic administrations, but ultimately never materialized. California resumed a leadership role on the standard as it has done with many other efficiency standards – including light bulbs, televisions, battery chargers, and more – that have become best practice for industry.
The CEC has proven over decades that efficiency standards don’t restrict consumer choice. Rather, they encourage industry innovation, cost savings, and often expand consumer choice.
Myth: The federal heavy-duty truck tire efficiency standard via the SmartWay Program has only had minimal impact on cost and emissions savings.
Fact: According to data supplied by the federal EPA, this is incorrect. Low rolling resistance (LRR) tires verified by the EPA’s SmartWay Program offer better fuel economy compared to conventional heavy-duty truck tires. A long-haul Class 8 tractor-trailer outfitted with SmartWay single-wide or LRR dual tires can save about 500 gallons of diesel per year — approximately a 3% reduction in fuel use, generating fuel cost reductions around $1,900 annually. This equates roughly to 5 metric tons of avoided CO₂ emissions each year per truck.
Since SmartWay’s inception in 2004, SmartWay partners have saved $55.4 billion on fuel costs and conserved almost 400 million barrels of oil (as of 2024).
Myth: Energy efficiency isn’t saving you any money.
Fact: Energy efficiency has saved Californians more than $200 billion across both Republican and Democratic administrations since the 1970s. Standards for refrigerators, washers, dryers, computers, televisions, light bulbs, building construction, and more have slashed energy usage and allowed current energy infrastructure to meet increasing demand. For example, if you look at an efficiency standard like light bulbs, which have reduced electricity use by 90%, we're saving Californians over $6 billion per year. If you flipped the script and added 90% more energy consumption with every light bulb used, 50% more with every TV, and so on, with almost every appliance in our homes, consumers would take note. That’s what these standards do: they quietly save consumers money, and all those savings add up. Thanks to efforts like these, California has the third-lowest per-capita energy consumption in the country (U.S. Energy Information Administration).