You can buy less polluting tires now. You don't because the ride quality and performance is noticeably worse. Low rolling resistance, relatively bad wet weather performance, traded for a modest efficiency gain.

Snoofy's idea isn't unreasonable. Biggest impact is on heavier vehicles. Biggest blowback will be from long haul trucking.

#4 and they don't last as long as the tread depth tends to be shallower.

#6 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-11-14 09:42 AM | Reply | Flag:

Sometimes. It depends on the hardness and compounds. Some LRR models last longer.

For the tax to not adversely effect US manufacturers, it would have to be paired with tax breaks for the local manufacturers, and the bipartisan continuance of heavy anti-dumping penalties and very heavy countervailing tariffs on imports. Globalism already pushed US manufacturers to high margin premium tires and away from budget conscious buyers. Can't be having the poors afford to drive, it's terrible for the environment.

There's already taxes on tires. FET for heavy duty tires, weight and ply based. Extending FET to passenger tires isn't an extreme measure. Beyond that even Texas has a mandatory tire recycling/disposal fee.

Metal spoked wheels. It's a rubber treaded tire.

It's a metal version of run flat lawnmower tire.