California Democrats continue to jack up gas prices and tell Californians what kind of cars they are allowed to buy. Now, the state also wants to dictate what kind of tires people are allowed to buy as well.The California Energy Commission voted unanimously to impose new, strict “efficiency standards” for tires, based on their rolling resistance. This is an environmentalist decision pushed under the guise that it will save California drivers a few hundred dollars a year, based on the idea that tires having less rolling resistance will help Californians save on gas (which is too expensive because of California’s astronomical gas tax and burdensome gas regulations).
According to tire manufacturer Goodyear, though, this will cost Californians hundreds more instead. That is because of a little-known economic concept called “supply and demand.” The new rule would ban 70% of the tires sold in California by 2033, which would mean that either the tire market in California would be artificially limited or that tire manufacturers would need to dedicate their resources specifically to California-approved tires, which would not otherwise be sold in other states in large quantities.A worker mounts a tire at Robert’s Tire and Wheels in San Francisco. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
