The world is changing when it comes to powering vehicles. The adoption of electrification is increasing with each passing day. The International Energy Agency reported that “electric car sales are projected to rise by 20% compared to the previous year, translating to almost a million more sales.” As manufacturers direct more resources to electric powered vehicles, the development and sales of internal combustion engine vehicles shrinks in market share.
The shrinking role of internal combustion engine vehicles
According to Car and Driver magazine, six major automakers signed a pledge in 2021 to end sales of new gas and diesel vehicles by 2035. By moving away from vehicles with internal combustion engines, manufacturers will have less incentive to supply replacement parts for vehicles already on the road. So that begs the question, will owners of gasoline- and diesel-powered cars and trucks encounter difficulty in finding replacement parts in the future?
Aftermarket parts suppliers are ready to serve the replacement parts market
While no one can absolutely guarantee what the future holds, the availability of replacement parts for internal combustion engine vehicles is likely to continue even if OEM manufacturers reduce or cease production due to changing priorities. The source will come from aftermarket parts suppliers. Aftermarket parts are ones made by manufacturers other than the original equipment manufacturer. These parts are made to match original parts for fitment specifications, so they are suitable replacements for vehicles.
Aftermarket suppliers have a history of offering essential replacement parts for long discontinued vehicles. As an example, you can still buy an alternator for a 1967 Ford Galaxie, or you can still get a starter for a 1977 Chevrolet Monta Carlo. These vehicles are just a couple examples of parts that are still available for older models.
Keeping owners of internal combustion engine cars on the road
So as OEM manufacturers move away from internal combustion engine models, owners of these vehicles can remain confident that they will be able to find alternators, starters, solenoids, voltage regulators and other essential parts. There would still be a market for these parts, and aftermarket distributors will most certainly serve that market.
