SEMA Pushes Back on EV Mandates, Urges EPA to Protect Vehicle Choice
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) is urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement its proposal to rescind a controversial policy that has led federal and state regulators to impose electric vehicle (EV) mandates out of sync with consumer demand and market realities.
With one-third of SEMA’s 7,000 member companies relying heavily on internal combustion engines (ICE), the group is making its position clear: protecting vehicle choice is essential not just for consumers, but for the $100 billion ICE market segment and more than 330,000 American jobs it supports.
In its comments filed to EPA–HQ–OAR–2025–0194, SEMA highlighted the economic and cultural stakes of restoring balance to the U.S. automotive marketplace. According to the association, recent greenhouse gas (GHG) policies have chipped away at affordability and innovation, leaving enthusiasts and small businesses caught in the middle.
SEMA outlined several key reasons for backing the EPA’s reconsideration:
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Restore the Clean Air Act to its intended scope
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Provide long-term certainty for industries
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Protect consumer affordability and vehicle choice
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Reduce harm to small businesses
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Prevent a destabilizing patchwork of state and federal mandates
“The specialty automotive aftermarket is a uniquely American industry built on ingenious innovation, vibrant consumer enthusiasm, and an unmatched entrepreneurial spirit,” said SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola. “The EPA’s reconsideration of the 2009 GHG Endangerment Finding presents an opportunity to remove unnecessary regulatory barriers and allow market forces to guide technological progress in a way that is consumer-driven.”
Background
SEMA represents over 7,000 member businesses and an aftermarket industry worth $337 billion annually, supporting more than 3 million U.S. jobs. While many members are small businesses, their innovation powers everything from grassroots garages to global distribution.
The upcoming 2025 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the largest trade show in North America, will spotlight “FutureTech Studio,” showcasing EVs, hybrids, hydrogen, alternative fuels, and other propulsion technologies that demonstrate the industry’s range and ingenuity.
SEMA emphasizes that it is not anti-EV. Instead, the organization advocates for technology-neutral policies that give innovators the freedom to bring forward the next big idea—and give consumers the freedom to decide what fits their needs and lifestyle.