In November 2022, the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association Show (SEMA) and Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) took place in Las Vegas. ADAPT was on the trade show floor to report on the latest and greatest information regarding emerging technology, electric vehicles and more.
There was a lot of ground to cover, but here is an overview of a couple of key areas from each show.
SEMA Showcases Electric Vehicles
The SEMA Show is known for its cars. Everywhere you turn, be it inside the Las Vegas Convention Center or outside in the lots, there are impressive vehicles. Some are customized and others are new to the market, but they each have a story to tell. Not to mention they all make for great photos on social media feeds.
While the car-spotting element of the show is a huge draw, there was another theme throughout SEMA 2022 that drew some attention: electrification.
SEMA Electrified drew a crowd within a 21,000-square-foot area dedicated to over 35 vehicles and nearly 60 different exhibits. SEMA Electrified is an electric vehicle hub that debuted in 2019. In 2022, it was the largest it had ever been.
SEMA Electrified showcased a multitude of custom EVs as well as new EV options such as the Karma GS-6. There were new versions of beloved classics like a re-imagined 1965 Ford Mustang from Inspire EV and a 1964 Ford Galax-E 500 from Conductive Classics that has a Tesla Model 3 drivetrain, brakes, wheels and single rear motor.
AAPEX Tackles EV Batteries
The future of the aftermarket is a topic that looms over nearly every industry interaction these days. It's a vast subject full of unknowns, which can be understandably intimidating. But with those unknown areas comes untapped opportunity, and that was a big takeaway across AAPEX this year.
There was an educational session on the final day of the show called, "Preparing for Battery Service on Electric Vehicles" that exemplified this notion. It was presented by Keith Hospodarsky, global EV platform senior manager at Midtronics.
Hospodarsky leveled with the audience as they listened to his presentation. He said that those in the audience may be wondering why they should pay attention to this kind of vehicle service, and he was prepared to tell them the reason.
"These vehicles are going to be on the road and they're going to need service," Hospodarsky said.
He outlined a general approach that shops should have regarding EV battery service, which included the following steps: Familiarize yourself with the technology, select a service strategy and investigate the service applications, equipment and training that is needed to be successful.
AAPEX also featured a New Product Showcase that included various products relevant to new technology and EVs. Some of these relevant products were the Autel MaxiCHARGER Commercial Charger for Level 2 EV and plug-in hybrid vehicle charging, Electric Vehicle Charge Cables from WAIglobal, an EV Braking Kit from Brembo, the PulseQ charger and Augmented Reality Glasses from TOPDON and many more.
