Replacement Tire Efficiency Program Proceeding

Under the authority granted by Assembly Bill 844 (Nation, 2003), the Energy Commission is mandated to adopt and implement a statewide Replacement Tire Efficiency Program for replacement tires for passenger cars and light-duty trucks, to ensure that replacement tires sold in California are at least as energy efficient as the tires sold as original equipment on the vehicles.

An Order Instituting Information (OII) proceeding was approved at the November 2020 Business Meeting. The OII will inform the Energy Commission and result in a staff report focused on two potential outcomes of future regulation:

• Minimum efficiency standard and/or
• Public awareness campaign

Through the Clean Transportation Program, also known as the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP), the California Energy Commission has sought this OII to facilitate collaboration and information exchange with industry stakeholders including tire manufacturers, retail tire businesses, tire test labs, consumer information organizations, environmental interest groups, air districts, electric utilities, and government agencies, expressly for the Commission to fulfill its statutory mandate under AB 844.

Data gathering will be critical to determine the current landscape of tire efficiency and performance regulations in other jurisdictions, and the degree to which these can be replicated/leveraged. Coordination and information sharing with all stakeholders is crucially important during the OII process.

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Benefits of Low Rolling Resistance Replacement Tires

Low rolling resistance replacement tires for passenger vehicles and light trucks improve vehicle fuel economy leading to the following expected benefits:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1 million metric tons per year
• Offer an affordable way for individual Californians to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Enhance efficiency of passenger vehicles and light trucks in line with the original tires sold with the vehicle
• Reduce fuel costs to consumers driving combustion vehicles and zero-emission vehicles
• Reduce tailpipe emissions contributing to ozone formation and unhealthy air