ASA Adopts Position Statement on Consumer Vehicle Choice

The Automotive Service Association (ASA) strongly supports the rights of consumers to purchase vehicles that best fit the needs of themselves, their families, and their businesses. We are concerned that the “Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles” – regulation finalized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – will limit consumer’s choice in powertrain. The federal government should either make changes to the regulation or support independent auto repairers through the EV transition.

By the EPA’s own estimates, Electric Vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles will comprise over 50 percent of all new car sales in the country by 2032 due to this regulation. Currently, such vehicles comprise roughly 10 percent of all new vehicle sales in the U.S.

This inorganic transformation in the automobile market will likely subject independent auto repairers to severe hardship. Auto repairers depend on a steady market to make decisions that allow them to provide the best possible repair service, meet their obligations to their employees, and remain profitable. These businesses have made investments under the assumption that EVs will gradually become more prevalent, but the significant investments that are needed to accommodate a vehicle market suddenly flooded with EVs is not feasible.

By 2032, repairers will have needed to spend heavily on EV training for technicians, acquire large amounts of new commercial property for safe EV storage, purchase new and costly equipment, and more just to remain in business if the rule remains intact. No one benefits when people can’t get their vehicle properly repaired. ASA calls on the federal government not to leave independent auto repairers behind in this transition.