[2020 National Audit] Energy-Efficient Tires Overlooked... "Incentives Should Be Considered"

Energy-Efficient Tire Reporting Rate Only 5.4%
Prices 20-30% Higher Than Regular Products, Burdening Consumers
"Energy Agency Chairman's Official Vehicle Also Uses Grade 4 Tires"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] Although the government encourages the production and purchase of high-efficiency tires with energy consumption efficiency grades 1 and 2, it has been revealed that these tires are being ignored by manufacturers and consumers. It was also confirmed that their prices are 20-30% higher than regular tires.

On the 20th, Kwon Myung-ho, a member of the National Assembly's Industry, Trade, Energy, Small and Medium Enterprises Committee from the People Power Party, announced the results of an analysis of data submitted by the Korea Energy Agency.

Among the 15,366 tire products reported to the agency by tire manufacturers for sale last year, only 824 products, or 5.4%, were high-efficiency tires with energy consumption efficiency grades 1 and 2.

Looking at the reported tires by grade, there were 87 products in grade 1, 737 in grade 2, 3,931 in grade 3, 6,825 in grade 4, and 3,786 in grade 5, with 69.0% falling into the lower energy efficiency grades 4 and 5.

When asked about improvements needed for the tire energy consumption efficiency grading system, the most common response was "lack of awareness" at 35%, followed by lack of information at 23%, lack of promotion at 23%, and lack of interest at 19%.

According to the agency's survey data, comparing prices of the same size products sold by Bridgestone, grade 1 products were sold at 331,000 KRW, while grade 4 products were about 200,000 KRW cheaper, sold at 139,000 KRW.

Tires sold by domestic manufacturers also showed relatively smaller price differences compared to foreign tire manufacturers, but the price gap between grade 1 and grade 4 products was up to about 24,000 KRW.

Given this situation, even the tires on the dedicated vehicle leased and used by the director of the Energy Agency, which operates the tire grading system, were grade 4 products with low energy consumption efficiency.

The Energy Agency stated, "Because the direct fuel efficiency perception effect from replacing with high-efficiency tires is less compared to other efficiency management equipment, there is little public interest," and added, "Due to the economic burden such as prices being about 20-30% higher than regular tires, the purchase rate of high-efficiency tires among the public is low."

Assemblyman Kwon Myung-ho pointed out, "Although the government is promoting the tire energy consumption efficiency grading system, consumers are unaware of the system itself and avoid it due to relatively high prices."

He emphasized, "There should be efforts to expand public promotion and consider providing incentives for purchasing high-efficiency tires, similar to the rebate system for high-efficiency home appliances."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.