Video: Chevrolet Introduces New eCOPO at the 2018 SEMA Show

Video: Chevrolet Introduces New eCOPO at the 2018 SEMA Show

SEMA News—November 2018

EVENTS

By Grant Walter

Hungry? Read This

A great option exclusive to SEMA, TIA and SCRS members* are hot meals available for purchase daily between 11:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. in the Members Lounge-North.

The purpose of the SEMA Show is to do business. Anything that gets in the way of that can be thought of as an obstruction, yet we all have to eat, especially since attending the SEMA Show can be a strenuous undertaking. It’s not unusual to walk many miles in a single day, so addressing the need to keep the fires burning without sacrificing too much floor time can be a challenge worthy of some consideration.

Fortunately, there are quite a number of food options available to attendees. First among those are the restaurants located in the Las Vegas Convention Center, which are managed by Centerplate, the venue’s catering and hospitality provider.

SEMA Trade Shows Director Tom Gattuso puts it this way: “We know that your time at the Show is valuable, so we’ve worked closely with Centerplate and concessions companies all year long to provide food options that are high quality, reasonably priced and can be picked up in an efficient manner.” Each zone of the Convention Center will have its own choices. For your convenience we’ve compiled a brief compendium of those concessions in the following pages.

There is one more thing to note: No outside food or beverage of any kind is allowed at the Show. This is largely based on the precaution that outside food might not conform to required food safety standards, and could become a significant health risk to the densely packed Show population, akin to what might happen on a cruise ship. The goal is to minimize that risk.

Member Lounges

One great option available exclusive to SEMA, TIA, SCRS and SEMA Hall of Fame members* is the strategically located Members Lounges in the North and South Halls. The Members Lounge-North is located in upper North Hall Room N251, and the Members Lounge-South is Booth #46000 in the east end of the lower South Hall lobby.

The Members Lounge-North offers warm, catered food. Hot meals are available for purchase daily between 11:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. For faster dining, opt instead for the Grab ’N’ Go snacks, beverages and sandwiches also available for purchase at both members lounges any time during Show hours Tuesday–Friday.

Additionally, both locations offer charging stations for phones and laptops, and a professional atmosphere. Take some time to have a business lunch or just get off your feet and enjoy a quiet meal. The lounges make great rendezvous points and also have private rooms available for meetings. Reserve yours in advance by visiting www.SEMAShow.com/mlmeetings. Room reservations are limited to two non-consecutive one-hour time slots per day.

Exhibitor Lunch and Appreciation Reception Monday

Exhibitors also won’t want to miss out on the Exhibitor Appreciation Reception on Monday night from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Located just outside of the Central Hall entrance on Silver Drive, it’s a great time to get to know other exhibitors, enjoy live music and good food.

During setup days, SEMA staff will be handing out coupons to exhibitors for sandwich lunches. The process is simple: All you need to do is present your
exhibitor badge and redeem your coupon at the nearest meal station to receive a sandwich and bottle of water. The lunches are available Sunday, October 28, and Monday, October 29, from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

Exhibitors also won’t want to miss out on the Exhibitor Appreciation Reception on Monday night from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Located just outside of the Central Hall entrance on Silver Drive, it’s a great time to get to know other exhibitors, enjoy live music and good free food, and recharge for opening day the next morning. Best of all, it includes an exclusive debut of select vehicle builds revealed on stage and the presentation of the SEMA Awards.

Order Food Delivery to Your Booth

For exhibitors who plan well in advance, it’s possible to arrange for Centerplate to serve lunch directly to your booth. Choose from the great variety of dishes and catering experiences that Centerplate has to offer. The deadline this year is October 16, and orders are subject to approval and availability. Place an order by emailing exhibitorcateringlvcc@centerplate.com, calling 702-943-6779 or visiting online at http://lvcvaexpresscatering.ezplanit.com.

Restaurants and Food Trucks

There is a wide variety of built-in and mobile eateries in the Convention Center. Below is a compendium that describes many of these, listed by location. The selection may vary slightly. Be sure to read past this directory for a sampling of banquets and other special events that feature snacks, drinks and even full meals.

• Honey Salt - Farm to table gourmet breakfast and lunch
  
  
• Honey Salt Grab and Go - Fast, healthy drinks and meals
  
  
• Prima Stampa - Fast, pressed paninis, etc.
  
  
• Walla Pao Express - Asian American fusion meals to go
  
  
• Starbucks - Coffee and espresso drinks

North Hall

• Vegas Street Eats - Fast food
  
  
• East Ocean  - Chinese food
  
  
• Fremont Grill - American food, burgers, etc.
  
  
• Five Spot Coffee Cart - Coffee, espresso, tea, quick bites

The North Road (between North Hall and Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino)

• Five Spot Coffee Cart - Coffee, espresso, tea, quick bites
  
  
• Tacofest Taco Truck - Mexican food, tacos, burritos, etc.
  
  
• Burgerfest Food Truck - Hamburgers, etc.
  
  
• Truck-N-Yaki Food Truck - Japanese BBQ plates

Central Hall

• Market Fresh Express - Grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, assorted snacks
  
  
• Capriotti’s Cart - 6-in. submarine sandwiches, snacks
  
  
• Wetzel’s Pretzels - Pretzels
  
  
• Buy The Slice Pizza & Sandwiches - Pizza, hot dogs, deli sandwiches, etc.
  
  
• Brookwood Farms BBQ - American BBQ, sandwiches
  
  
• Quizno’s - Sandwiches, etc.
  
  
• Sabrett’s Hot Dogs - All-beef hot dogs
  
  
• Ben & Jerry’s - Ice cream, cones, shakes, parfaits
  
  
• 7th Heaven Kosher Cart - Kosher food, hot dogs, salmon, salads, etc.

South Hall

• Aces - High end food court
  
  
• Vegas Street Eats - Fast food
  
  
• Namaste Indian Cart - Chicken tikka, gulab jamun, tandoori, combos
  
  
• Capriotti’s - 6-in. submarine sandwiches, snacks
  
  
• Gourmet Grill - Burgers and beyond
  
  
• Sabroso - Pizza, BBQ sandwiches, parfaits
  
  
• Butcher’s Block - American BBQ, sandwiches, salads
  
  
• Taco Tijuana - Mexican food, combos, chips and salsa

SEMA Members Lounge–North and Members Lounge–South

• Grab ’N’ Go meals, charging stations (SEMA, TIA, SCRS members only*)

Grab a quick bite to eat from the various food trucks along North Road (between North Hall and the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino).

The South Plaza

• Sausage Fest Food Truck - Breakfast burritos, variety sausage, chorizo fries, etc.
  
  
• Fresh Fest Food Truck - Lobster rolls, salads, shrimp po’boys, etc.
  
  
• Curbside Café (by Flattop’s) - BBQ bacon burgers, Hawaiian burgers, etc.

Outside: (The Bronze Lot, Silver Lots, Blue Lot, Green Lots and Orange Lots)

• Adonis Cart - Gyros, falafel, baklava, etc.
  
  
• Big Daddy’s BBQ - American BBQ, Mexican food, hot dogs, etc.
  
  
• Big Daddy’s Taco Tijuana - Tacos, chips, parfaits
  
  
• Five Spot Coffee Cart - Coffee, espresso, tea, quick bites
  
  
• Sabrett’s Hot Dog Cart (x2) - All-beef hot dogs, chili cheese dogs, etc.
  
  
• Sin City Wings - Chicken wings, fried Oreos, fried pickles, etc.
  
  
• Oming’s Kitchen Food Truck - Flipino food, lumpia, sinugba rolls, etc.
  
  
• Quizno’s Cart - Sandwiches, etc.

Banquets and Receptions

Special events are a great way to combine a meal or cocktail with productive networking and learning. All of the events below will have something edible available, and offer a host of different learning and networking opportunities.

• New Products Breakfast - Tuesday, October 30, 7:30 a.m.–8:45 a.m., Westgate Paradise Event Center
  
  
• Student Networking Lunch - Tuesday, October 30, 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Westgate Paradise Event Center
  
  
• Art Walk Happy Hour - Tuesday, October 30 through Thursday, November 1, 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m., LVCC C2 Prefunction
  
  
• New Products Happy Hour - Tuesday, October 30 through Thursday, November 1, 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m., LVCC S219–S228
  
  
• WTC Reception - Tuesday, October 30, 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m., Renaissance Pool
  
  
• ARMO Reception - Tuesday, October 30, 5:15 p.m.–7:30 p.m. - Westgate CR 7–14
  
  
• YEN Reception - Tuesday, October 30, 5:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m., Westgate Paradise Event Center
  
  
• PRO Reception - Tuesday, October 30, 5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m., Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino Pool Deck
  
  
• Prayer Breakfast - Wednesday, October 31, 7:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m., LVCC Upper North Hall, Room N259
  
  
• NHRA Breakfast - Wednesday, October 31, 7:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m., Westgate Paradise Event Center
  
  
• TORA Reception - Wednesday, October 31, 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m., SCORE Off-Road Area (Silver Lot, Booth #62003, outside in front of South Hall)
  
  
• International Happy Hour - Wednesday, October 31, 5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m., LVCC Upper North Hall, Room N255–N261
  
  
• HRIA Reception - Wednesday, October 31, 5:15 p.m.–8:30 p.m., Westgate Paradise Event Center
  
  
• SEMA Industry Awards Banquet - Thursday, November 1, 7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m., Westgate Paradise Event Center

*With the exception of non-exhibiting manufacturers or companies otherwise qualified to exhibit at the SEMA Show.

SEMA News—November 2018

EVENTS

By Grant Walter

Hungry? Read This

A great option exclusive to SEMA, TIA and SCRS members* are hot meals available for purchase daily between 11:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. in the Members Lounge-North.

The purpose of the SEMA Show is to do business. Anything that gets in the way of that can be thought of as an obstruction, yet we all have to eat, especially since attending the SEMA Show can be a strenuous undertaking. It’s not unusual to walk many miles in a single day, so addressing the need to keep the fires burning without sacrificing too much floor time can be a challenge worthy of some consideration.

Fortunately, there are quite a number of food options available to attendees. First among those are the restaurants located in the Las Vegas Convention Center, which are managed by Centerplate, the venue’s catering and hospitality provider.

SEMA Trade Shows Director Tom Gattuso puts it this way: “We know that your time at the Show is valuable, so we’ve worked closely with Centerplate and concessions companies all year long to provide food options that are high quality, reasonably priced and can be picked up in an efficient manner.” Each zone of the Convention Center will have its own choices. For your convenience we’ve compiled a brief compendium of those concessions in the following pages.

There is one more thing to note: No outside food or beverage of any kind is allowed at the Show. This is largely based on the precaution that outside food might not conform to required food safety standards, and could become a significant health risk to the densely packed Show population, akin to what might happen on a cruise ship. The goal is to minimize that risk.

Member Lounges

One great option available exclusive to SEMA, TIA, SCRS and SEMA Hall of Fame members* is the strategically located Members Lounges in the North and South Halls. The Members Lounge-North is located in upper North Hall Room N251, and the Members Lounge-South is Booth #46000 in the east end of the lower South Hall lobby.

The Members Lounge-North offers warm, catered food. Hot meals are available for purchase daily between 11:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. For faster dining, opt instead for the Grab ’N’ Go snacks, beverages and sandwiches also available for purchase at both members lounges any time during Show hours Tuesday–Friday.

Additionally, both locations offer charging stations for phones and laptops, and a professional atmosphere. Take some time to have a business lunch or just get off your feet and enjoy a quiet meal. The lounges make great rendezvous points and also have private rooms available for meetings. Reserve yours in advance by visiting www.SEMAShow.com/mlmeetings. Room reservations are limited to two non-consecutive one-hour time slots per day.

Exhibitor Lunch and Appreciation Reception Monday

Exhibitors also won’t want to miss out on the Exhibitor Appreciation Reception on Monday night from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Located just outside of the Central Hall entrance on Silver Drive, it’s a great time to get to know other exhibitors, enjoy live music and good food.

During setup days, SEMA staff will be handing out coupons to exhibitors for sandwich lunches. The process is simple: All you need to do is present your
exhibitor badge and redeem your coupon at the nearest meal station to receive a sandwich and bottle of water. The lunches are available Sunday, October 28, and Monday, October 29, from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

Exhibitors also won’t want to miss out on the Exhibitor Appreciation Reception on Monday night from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Located just outside of the Central Hall entrance on Silver Drive, it’s a great time to get to know other exhibitors, enjoy live music and good free food, and recharge for opening day the next morning. Best of all, it includes an exclusive debut of select vehicle builds revealed on stage and the presentation of the SEMA Awards.

Order Food Delivery to Your Booth

For exhibitors who plan well in advance, it’s possible to arrange for Centerplate to serve lunch directly to your booth. Choose from the great variety of dishes and catering experiences that Centerplate has to offer. The deadline this year is October 16, and orders are subject to approval and availability. Place an order by emailing exhibitorcateringlvcc@centerplate.com, calling 702-943-6779 or visiting online at http://lvcvaexpresscatering.ezplanit.com.

Restaurants and Food Trucks

There is a wide variety of built-in and mobile eateries in the Convention Center. Below is a compendium that describes many of these, listed by location. The selection may vary slightly. Be sure to read past this directory for a sampling of banquets and other special events that feature snacks, drinks and even full meals.

• Honey Salt - Farm to table gourmet breakfast and lunch
  
  
• Honey Salt Grab and Go - Fast, healthy drinks and meals
  
  
• Prima Stampa - Fast, pressed paninis, etc.
  
  
• Walla Pao Express - Asian American fusion meals to go
  
  
• Starbucks - Coffee and espresso drinks

North Hall

• Vegas Street Eats - Fast food
  
  
• East Ocean  - Chinese food
  
  
• Fremont Grill - American food, burgers, etc.
  
  
• Five Spot Coffee Cart - Coffee, espresso, tea, quick bites

The North Road (between North Hall and Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino)

• Five Spot Coffee Cart - Coffee, espresso, tea, quick bites
  
  
• Tacofest Taco Truck - Mexican food, tacos, burritos, etc.
  
  
• Burgerfest Food Truck - Hamburgers, etc.
  
  
• Truck-N-Yaki Food Truck - Japanese BBQ plates

Central Hall

• Market Fresh Express - Grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, assorted snacks
  
  
• Capriotti’s Cart - 6-in. submarine sandwiches, snacks
  
  
• Wetzel’s Pretzels - Pretzels
  
  
• Buy The Slice Pizza & Sandwiches - Pizza, hot dogs, deli sandwiches, etc.
  
  
• Brookwood Farms BBQ - American BBQ, sandwiches
  
  
• Quizno’s - Sandwiches, etc.
  
  
• Sabrett’s Hot Dogs - All-beef hot dogs
  
  
• Ben & Jerry’s - Ice cream, cones, shakes, parfaits
  
  
• 7th Heaven Kosher Cart - Kosher food, hot dogs, salmon, salads, etc.

South Hall

• Aces - High end food court
  
  
• Vegas Street Eats - Fast food
  
  
• Namaste Indian Cart - Chicken tikka, gulab jamun, tandoori, combos
  
  
• Capriotti’s - 6-in. submarine sandwiches, snacks
  
  
• Gourmet Grill - Burgers and beyond
  
  
• Sabroso - Pizza, BBQ sandwiches, parfaits
  
  
• Butcher’s Block - American BBQ, sandwiches, salads
  
  
• Taco Tijuana - Mexican food, combos, chips and salsa

SEMA Members Lounge–North and Members Lounge–South

• Grab ’N’ Go meals, charging stations (SEMA, TIA, SCRS members only*)

Grab a quick bite to eat from the various food trucks along North Road (between North Hall and the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino).

The South Plaza

• Sausage Fest Food Truck - Breakfast burritos, variety sausage, chorizo fries, etc.
  
  
• Fresh Fest Food Truck - Lobster rolls, salads, shrimp po’boys, etc.
  
  
• Curbside Café (by Flattop’s) - BBQ bacon burgers, Hawaiian burgers, etc.

Outside: (The Bronze Lot, Silver Lots, Blue Lot, Green Lots and Orange Lots)

• Adonis Cart - Gyros, falafel, baklava, etc.
  
  
• Big Daddy’s BBQ - American BBQ, Mexican food, hot dogs, etc.
  
  
• Big Daddy’s Taco Tijuana - Tacos, chips, parfaits
  
  
• Five Spot Coffee Cart - Coffee, espresso, tea, quick bites
  
  
• Sabrett’s Hot Dog Cart (x2) - All-beef hot dogs, chili cheese dogs, etc.
  
  
• Sin City Wings - Chicken wings, fried Oreos, fried pickles, etc.
  
  
• Oming’s Kitchen Food Truck - Flipino food, lumpia, sinugba rolls, etc.
  
  
• Quizno’s Cart - Sandwiches, etc.

Banquets and Receptions

Special events are a great way to combine a meal or cocktail with productive networking and learning. All of the events below will have something edible available, and offer a host of different learning and networking opportunities.

• New Products Breakfast - Tuesday, October 30, 7:30 a.m.–8:45 a.m., Westgate Paradise Event Center
  
  
• Student Networking Lunch - Tuesday, October 30, 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Westgate Paradise Event Center
  
  
• Art Walk Happy Hour - Tuesday, October 30 through Thursday, November 1, 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m., LVCC C2 Prefunction
  
  
• New Products Happy Hour - Tuesday, October 30 through Thursday, November 1, 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m., LVCC S219–S228
  
  
• WTC Reception - Tuesday, October 30, 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m., Renaissance Pool
  
  
• ARMO Reception - Tuesday, October 30, 5:15 p.m.–7:30 p.m. - Westgate CR 7–14
  
  
• YEN Reception - Tuesday, October 30, 5:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m., Westgate Paradise Event Center
  
  
• PRO Reception - Tuesday, October 30, 5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m., Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino Pool Deck
  
  
• Prayer Breakfast - Wednesday, October 31, 7:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m., LVCC Upper North Hall, Room N259
  
  
• NHRA Breakfast - Wednesday, October 31, 7:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m., Westgate Paradise Event Center
  
  
• TORA Reception - Wednesday, October 31, 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m., SCORE Off-Road Area (Silver Lot, Booth #62003, outside in front of South Hall)
  
  
• International Happy Hour - Wednesday, October 31, 5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m., LVCC Upper North Hall, Room N255–N261
  
  
• HRIA Reception - Wednesday, October 31, 5:15 p.m.–8:30 p.m., Westgate Paradise Event Center
  
  
• SEMA Industry Awards Banquet - Thursday, November 1, 7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m., Westgate Paradise Event Center

*With the exception of non-exhibiting manufacturers or companies otherwise qualified to exhibit at the SEMA Show.

By SEMA Editors

ICON debuted a ’49 Mercury EV Derelict project in the Optima Batteries booth #20323 at the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

ICON debuted a ’49 Mercury EV Derelict project in the Optima Batteries booth #20323 at the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The purpose behind ICON’s Derelict line is to celebrate and preserve the original patina and exterior trim on the car. This ’49 Mercury Coupe was sourced from the original owners. ICON forensically disassembled the body, replaced all rubber, added insulation and sound-deadening products everywhere, then reassembled it in a manner that tried to make it look like nothing had been touched. A four-wheel independent chassis was developed with Art Morrison Enterprises alongside Brembo brakes.

The powertrain is all-modern and was a co-engineering exercise between ICON and Stealth EV. The dual electric motor, transmission-less design provides 470 lb.-ft. of freight-train torque and the equivalent of 400 hp, with no shifts all the way up to the Merc’s 120 mph top speed. A full Tesla Performance 85kWh battery array is strategically fit throughout the vehicle for exceptional weight balance. It is capable of an estimated 150–200-mile range and has 1.5-hour full recharge capability. ICON positioned a CHAdeMO 125A fast-charger plug behind the tilting front license plate frame and also converted the original gas filler into a Tesla supercharger plug to expedite in-transit charging. A pioneering EV management system protects the batteries from overcharging and also provides thermal management and a host of capabilities and protections.

Since the electric motors fit where the old transmission once resided, ICON co-founder/lead designer Jonathan Ward thought it would be fun to reference vintage V-8 speed equipment. The custom aluminum “engine” actually houses the battery controllers and a few of the Tesla modules—designed in a traditional V-8 array with a polished and media-blasted finish for a decidedly vintage aesthetic. Then ICON had custom cloth-braided sheathing made for the wires under the hood, referencing the original wiring loom.

In the interior, ICON wanted to keep the materials vintage-appropriate and light. Fabric from Knoll Textiles and hides from Moore & Giles and Relicate Leather realized the exact design that Ward envisioned. Power windows operate via the original analog window cranks; tapping twice on the driver’s side drops or raises all windows at once. While all gauges are modern digital Andromeda, the design strongly references the original analog units, down to the typeface and background. Other significantly redesigned elements include in-dash A/C vents (not to mention electric A/C), and all custom switches and bezels are inspired by the originals, but support modern components and functions.

The ’49 Mercury EV Derelict was commissioned by a longtime client, who gave ICON the go-ahead to push the boundaries of design and engineering. 

By SEMA Editors

ICON debuted a ’49 Mercury EV Derelict project in the Optima Batteries booth #20323 at the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

ICON debuted a ’49 Mercury EV Derelict project in the Optima Batteries booth #20323 at the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The purpose behind ICON’s Derelict line is to celebrate and preserve the original patina and exterior trim on the car. This ’49 Mercury Coupe was sourced from the original owners. ICON forensically disassembled the body, replaced all rubber, added insulation and sound-deadening products everywhere, then reassembled it in a manner that tried to make it look like nothing had been touched. A four-wheel independent chassis was developed with Art Morrison Enterprises alongside Brembo brakes.

The powertrain is all-modern and was a co-engineering exercise between ICON and Stealth EV. The dual electric motor, transmission-less design provides 470 lb.-ft. of freight-train torque and the equivalent of 400 hp, with no shifts all the way up to the Merc’s 120 mph top speed. A full Tesla Performance 85kWh battery array is strategically fit throughout the vehicle for exceptional weight balance. It is capable of an estimated 150–200-mile range and has 1.5-hour full recharge capability. ICON positioned a CHAdeMO 125A fast-charger plug behind the tilting front license plate frame and also converted the original gas filler into a Tesla supercharger plug to expedite in-transit charging. A pioneering EV management system protects the batteries from overcharging and also provides thermal management and a host of capabilities and protections.

Since the electric motors fit where the old transmission once resided, ICON co-founder/lead designer Jonathan Ward thought it would be fun to reference vintage V-8 speed equipment. The custom aluminum “engine” actually houses the battery controllers and a few of the Tesla modules—designed in a traditional V-8 array with a polished and media-blasted finish for a decidedly vintage aesthetic. Then ICON had custom cloth-braided sheathing made for the wires under the hood, referencing the original wiring loom.

In the interior, ICON wanted to keep the materials vintage-appropriate and light. Fabric from Knoll Textiles and hides from Moore & Giles and Relicate Leather realized the exact design that Ward envisioned. Power windows operate via the original analog window cranks; tapping twice on the driver’s side drops or raises all windows at once. While all gauges are modern digital Andromeda, the design strongly references the original analog units, down to the typeface and background. Other significantly redesigned elements include in-dash A/C vents (not to mention electric A/C), and all custom switches and bezels are inspired by the originals, but support modern components and functions.

The ’49 Mercury EV Derelict was commissioned by a longtime client, who gave ICON the go-ahead to push the boundaries of design and engineering. 

By SEMA Editors

Low-volume production of turn-key replica cars, such as this Dynamic Corvette ’56 resto-mod, hangs in the balance until NHTSA implements the FAST Act.

SEMA informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that it is prepared to challenge the agency in court if it fails to take immediate action to implement the low-volume replica car law. Under the 2015 law spearheaded by SEMA, small automakers (5,000 or fewer vehicles produced globally) in the United States may sell up to 325 turn-key replica cars per year—vehicles that resemble classic cars produced at least 25 years ago.

Under a provision in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), NHTSA had one year—until December 4, 2016—to establish a process for companies to register with the agency and to issue any necessary regulation to implement the federal law. NHTSA has taken no regulatory action.

“Passage of the FAST Act in 2015 was a landmark moment since low-volume auto manufacturers could now produce turn-key replica vehicles for customers nationwide,” said SEMA President and CEO Christopher J. Kersting. “While the law was celebrated by industry and enthusiasts alike, NHTSA’s continued delays have frustrated replica car companies and consumers. The replica car provision was designed to be easy for NHTSA to implement, as it simply extends the common-sense approach to overseeing kit-car production that the agency has employed for decades.”

Prior to enactment of the FAST Act, the United States had just one system for regulating automobiles, which was established in the ’60s and designed for companies that mass-produce millions of vehicles. The lack of regulatory flexibility has prevented small businesses from manufacturing turn-key cars that recapture America’s automotive heritage. The vehicles will have engine packages that meet current model-year emissions standards.

The delay is creating financial hardship for small businesses committed to the program. Replica car companies began making investments in new facilities, equipment and supplies based on the one-year timeline to implement the law. Instead, workers have not been hired and sales are on hold because of NHTSA’s inaction.

Hundreds of classic car enthusiasts recently expressed their frustration as well. They sent hundreds of letters asking U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to instruct NHTSA to stop dragging its feet.

Over the past three years, SEMA has suggested several ways in which replica vehicle production could begin immediately, such as by allowing companies to register as the agency pursues a rulemaking. While NHTSA has failed to take advantage of the alternatives, it has inflicted harm on the industry through its inaction. SEMA is ready to ask the court to intervene and eliminate the harm.

By SEMA Editors

Low-volume production of turn-key replica cars, such as this Dynamic Corvette ’56 resto-mod, hangs in the balance until NHTSA implements the FAST Act.

SEMA informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that it is prepared to challenge the agency in court if it fails to take immediate action to implement the low-volume replica car law. Under the 2015 law spearheaded by SEMA, small automakers (5,000 or fewer vehicles produced globally) in the United States may sell up to 325 turn-key replica cars per year—vehicles that resemble classic cars produced at least 25 years ago.

Under a provision in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), NHTSA had one year—until December 4, 2016—to establish a process for companies to register with the agency and to issue any necessary regulation to implement the federal law. NHTSA has taken no regulatory action.

“Passage of the FAST Act in 2015 was a landmark moment since low-volume auto manufacturers could now produce turn-key replica vehicles for customers nationwide,” said SEMA President and CEO Christopher J. Kersting. “While the law was celebrated by industry and enthusiasts alike, NHTSA’s continued delays have frustrated replica car companies and consumers. The replica car provision was designed to be easy for NHTSA to implement, as it simply extends the common-sense approach to overseeing kit-car production that the agency has employed for decades.”

Prior to enactment of the FAST Act, the United States had just one system for regulating automobiles, which was established in the ’60s and designed for companies that mass-produce millions of vehicles. The lack of regulatory flexibility has prevented small businesses from manufacturing turn-key cars that recapture America’s automotive heritage. The vehicles will have engine packages that meet current model-year emissions standards.

The delay is creating financial hardship for small businesses committed to the program. Replica car companies began making investments in new facilities, equipment and supplies based on the one-year timeline to implement the law. Instead, workers have not been hired and sales are on hold because of NHTSA’s inaction.

Hundreds of classic car enthusiasts recently expressed their frustration as well. They sent hundreds of letters asking U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to instruct NHTSA to stop dragging its feet.

Over the past three years, SEMA has suggested several ways in which replica vehicle production could begin immediately, such as by allowing companies to register as the agency pursues a rulemaking. While NHTSA has failed to take advantage of the alternatives, it has inflicted harm on the industry through its inaction. SEMA is ready to ask the court to intervene and eliminate the harm.