By the SEMA D.C. office
Colorado's Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) 
has published a SEMA-opposed regulation that, if approved, would require the state to adopt California’s latest motor vehicle emissions laws through 2032 but stop short of banning the sale of new gas- and diesel-powered cars beginning in 2035. Colorado has historically followed California’s tailpipe laws.
Once an advocate for individual choice in automobile purchases, Colorado is now flip-flopping. While initially rejecting California's ban on new internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035, Colorado is now pushing for an 80% zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) mandate by 2032. This change in direction raises concerns about consumer choice, affordability, and the future of the automotive aftermarket industry.
Colorado's mixed messaging on automotive regulations could severely impact your ability to choose the vehicles you love. SEMA believes that Coloradans, not the government, should decide what vehicles are best for them and their families. The automotive industry is embracing new technology to make cars cleaner and more efficient, which includes hydrogen, new synthetic fuels, alternative fuels, and improvements to the internal-combustion engine. The government should allow the market to continue to innovate all forms of technology that significantly reduce vehicle emissions.
Click here to submit comments to Colorado's AQCC by October 3, 2023.
For more information, please get in touch with Christian Robinson at christianr@sema.org.