SEMA Moves to Stop California’s Proposed ICE Ban in Supreme Court
SEMA is taking its fight over California’s ICE ban to the highest court as it aims to protect the big business that is the automotive aftermarket.
Most know the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) for its massive annual showcase of aftermarket automotive goods, which takes place each November in Las Vegas. However, SEMA is also a voice and an advocate for the automotive aftermarket, which is a massive industry generating $337 billion in economic impact for the U.S. economy, supporting 1.3 million jobs, and generating $52.3 billion in parts sales annually. Thus, it’s no surprise that SEMA sees California’s ICE ban as a major threat to this industry, and it’s now taking further action to stop that legislation.
Last week, SEMA filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Diamond Alternative Energy, LLC v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which outlines the organization’s support for a proposed review of the EPA’s legal right to give the state of California the power to limit the sale of ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles. California previously received a waiver from the EPA enabling it to adopt its Advanced Clean Car II regulations, which starts with a limit on the sales of ICE vehicles from the 2017-2025 model years, followed by an outright ban on sales of new ICE vehicles by 2035.
Since California obtained this waiver, 16 other states have followed suit and announced that they will also implement this rule. However, SEMA has formally asked the court to review the case, arguing that the state’s “non-technology-neutral decision to limit sales of ICE vehicles will have a devastating impact on the automotive aftermarket industry, effectively killing, rather than fostering, innovation that can help produce cleaner, safer automobiles.”
This particular piece of legislation has been thrust back into the spotlight not only due to questions over whether or not agencies like the EPA should have the right to make these sorts of decisions, but also, amid the fact that across the globe, demand for all-electric vehicles has lagged behind expected levels of growth over the past few months. As a result, many automakers have dialed back investments in electrification, and in some cases, delayed or canceled the launch of new EV models.
The European Union was also seeking to ban the sale of new ICE vehicles in the coming years, but has since begun to soften those rules amid this slowdown, and may soon add a provision for vehicles powered by synthetic fuels – an area that Porsche has explored for years now. While Porsche remains committed to electrification, the company also plans to continue making and selling gas-powered vehicles for the foreseeable future – and if these legal battles ultimately pan out, ICE models may not be going away permanently, either.
Join the Rennlist forums!
