The tire industry is currently experiencing a stark contrast of "fire and ice." On one hand, driven by soaring raw material costs—particularly natural rubber—over 80 tire manufacturers have issued price hike notices since the beginning of this year. Some brands have raised prices two to three times in succession, with increases generally ranging from 2% to 6%. However, this wave of price hikes has met with a lukewarm response in the retail market, with many store operators stating they would rather sacrifice profit margins than lose customers.

At the same time, technological innovation has become a focal point of the industry. Domestic non-pneumatic tires have achieved breakthroughs—they require no inflation, are impervious to punctures, and can still travel up to 2,000 kilometers even after damage. These tires have already secured orders worth tens of millions of yuan and are expected to achieve stable mass production within the year. Michelin has also announced that it will debut its 75% sustainable-material tires and digital twin technology in Asia for the first time at the 9th China International Import Expo, enabling vehicles to "sense" tire conditions in real time. Chinese tire companies are accelerating their transition from "cost-based competition" to "technology-based competition," reshaping the global market landscape.