United States. The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has urged members of the auto industry to sign a letter addressed to the U.S. Congress with the aim of curbing mandates on electric vehicles.
The letter asks lawmakers to pass a resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to rescind the exemption granted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to California, which allows for the implementation of the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulation.
This regulation requires that, by 2035, 100% of new cars, SUVs, and light trucks sold in California and 11 other states be zero-emission vehicles.
The ACC II regulation strengthens the state's emission control rules and expands its zero-emission vehicle market to meet stricter exhaust emission standards. This seeks a progressive transition until, by 2035, all new vehicles are fully electric or zero-emission.
According to SEMA, this measure could negatively affect the diversity of technologies available in the market, as well as the auto parts and modifications industry. The association argues that Congress must evaluate whether a single state can establish regulations that would have national repercussions on the economy and the automotive sector.
The EPA's waiver, granted in December, gives California the power to enforce its electrification mandates and restrict the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles. However, Congress has the ability to use the CRA to reverse this decision and preserve consumers' freedom of choice in the automotive market.
