The California Energy Commission unanimously has approved new rules that require vehicle tires to meet a standard for "rolling resistance," which is a measure of how much energy it takes to roll the tire. 

The lower resistance increases gas mileage or reduces energy use, which proponents of the rule say will help transportation affordability, the New York Post reported. 

However, the rule will potentially ban 70% of the tires now available to California drivers. According to the Tire Industry Association, average tire prices could increase from $81 to up to $157, increasing the costs to over $300 per car for four new tires. 

Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt called the tire rules a "scam," arguing they're part of California regulators' push to get people to stop driving gas-powered cars by driving up the cost of transportation, which includes costly regulations that increase gas prices. 

"They deliberately make your gas prices more expensive, to compel you to stop driving. Then they use the artificially high cost of fuel to impose further regulations and higher tire costs on you. The whole communist schtick is a positive feedback loop," Pratt said in a post on X. 

Commissioner Nancy Skinner told local news outlet KCRA: “Look at the gas prices everyone’s experiencing. If we can bring each Californian’s gas cost down just a little bit, then why wouldn’t we?”