SEMA says aftermarket should not be forced into EV-only future

At the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s yearly tradeshow in Las Vegas, SEMA leaders told attendees the automotive aftermarket should not be compelled to adopt a single propulsion technology amid shifting federal policy and industry investment in electric vehicles.

Senior vice president Karen Bailey-Chapman said, "Thirty-three percent of our industry would’ve been wiped out had EV mandates continued," referring to future federal fuel efficiency rules that would have required automakers to sell many more EVs to avoid fines. SEMA’s CEO Mike Spagnola and Bailey-Chapman said the group "embrace[s] EVs, we embrace all technologies," but oppose being forced to choose one path.

The organization said it has become more political in recent years, advocating for members and seeking limits on the power of the California Air Resources Board, which was given authority to regulate California’s air quality after decades of smog affected the Los Angeles basin. With federal clean vehicle tax credits ended in September and industry strategies diverging, SEMA’s stance comes amid wider uncertainty about where electrification will head next.

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Business, Sema, Las Vegas, Electric Vehicles, Carb, Karen Bailey-chapman