Tire Price Hikes is Here!
Date：2026/5/26
Since mid-April, the domestic tire industry has entered a period of concentrated price adjustments. Several major tire manufacturers, including Michelin, Bridgestone, and Zhongce, have successively announced price increases covering multiple categories such as passenger car tires and truck and bus tires. Among these, price increases for passenger car tires generally range from 2% to 5%.
| Brand / Company | Effective Date | Adjustment Range | Products Involved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michelin & BFGoodrich | May 1 | CNY 15-30 per tire | Michelin & BFGoodrich passenger car tires and light truck tires |
| Bridgestone | May 1 | +3% to 5% | Passenger car products |
| Continental (Germany) | May 1 | +2% to 4% | Selected products |
| Zhongce Rubber (ZC Rubber) | May (date TBD) | +1% to 3% | Partial passenger car tire products and promotional policies |
| Yongsheng Rubber | May 1 | +3% to 5% | TBR China region products (truck/bus tires) |
| Huasheng Rubber | May 1 | +3% | All brand series tire products |
| Jinyu Tire | May 1 | +3% | All brands tire products under Jinyu |
| Fangxing Tire | May 10 | +3% to 5% | Semi-steel, all-steel, and OTR tire series |
| Tongli Tire | May 10 | +3% to 5% | All brands tire products under Tongli |
The direct drivers behind this round of tire price hikes are, first, the continuous rise in raw material costs.
Raw materials account for over 70% of tire production costs, and the prices of core materials such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber, carbon black, and steel cord have risen almost in unison, leaving companies in a predicament where “production equals loss.”
For synthetic rubber, the price of butadiene—a key raw material—has skyrocketed due to fluctuations in international crude oil prices and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Since March of this year, the monthly price of synthetic rubber has risen by nearly 8,000 yuan per ton at its peak, with the main futures contract briefly surging to around 17,470 yuan per ton, even leading to the rare occurrence of synthetic rubber prices surpassing those of natural rubber.
In Southeast Asia, the primary production region for natural rubber, abnormal weather conditions and an earlier-than-usual tapping suspension period have driven spot prices to a high of 17,900 yuan per ton, reaching a three-year peak.
Carbon black prices rose by 13% in a single month, while prices for other auxiliary materials, such as chemical additives, have also been rising in tandem.
Secondly, in addition to soaring raw material prices, disruptions in the global supply chain are further exacerbating the situation. Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have forced cargo ships to take detours, extending voyage times. Logistics costs have increased by 15%–20% year-over-year, with freight rates on some routes even doubling.