Since 2020, companies of all sizes have struggled to cope with the effects of COVID-19. Demand for new vehicles is still quite high, but some of the parts needed to build them have been hard to come by for some automakers. 



With the high demand, the automotive industry has had to adapt and adjust to more than just supply chain shortages. They have had to juggle dealing with customers and employees trying to make it through tough times. Small businesses alone have had to close their shops due to a lack of employees. They have also had to change business hours, wear masks, and even clean cars after they have been worked on. 

Dealerships and parts stores have also had to adjust. From contactless selling and vehicle walk-arounds to safe order pickup to the encouragement of online ordering of parts, the industry has had to make sacrifices to make sure that businesses survived and continued to meet the needs of consumers. 

Over time, technology advances and what comes from those changes pave the way for products to be made more efficiently. Automakers add features to vehicles that decades ago seemed impossible. 

Automotive trends oftentimes change due to consumer feedback, safety reports, and political agendas. 

The Electrification of Modern Transportation 

The idea of electric cars being the main source of transportation on the road has caused automakers to prepare for a future that will see us being propelled by electric motors. With the introduction of companies like Tesla and Rivian, traditional automakers like Ford, General Motors, and Dodge have come to the realization that in order to compete, they need to produce EV (electric vehicles) that meet the same standards. 

The concept has its pros and cons, and it is not always straightforward. The main argument is that by transitioning from gas powered engines to electric engines, it would be better for the environment, and with that, it would be better for society. 

Since 1980, most vehicles produced had a powertrain that required gasoline. In the last few years, however, that trend is slowly changing. 2005 saw a new trend brewing: the hybrid. With this new form of transportation becoming more popular, the industry, and consumers, saw the value of vehicles being partly electrified in terms of fuel-efficiency. 

The production of EV’s has increased since 2011. In fact, of the production of vehicles produced in 2021, vehicles with EV powertrains made up 3.1 percent of the vehicle produced, while hybrids made up 8.9 percent, and 85.7 percent of vehicles produced were gasoline powered. 

EV Services Will Become More Prevalent 

In 2023, more shops will service EVs. Although most shops are prepared to repair or service vehicles with gas, diesel, and hybrid powertrains, the popularity of EVs cannot be ignored. The United States vehicle market share has eclipsed six percent, and quarter three of 2022 saw the highest amount of EVs sold in the United States with over 200,000. 

ICE (Internal Combustion Engines) requires maintenance services like oil changes, coolant and transmission flushes, brake services, and more. EVs are not that much different in retrospect. They still require services to ensure that they are reliable on the road. 

Geography is an important aspect of EV maintenance services. Whether it is gas or electric, the services may be more frequent depending on where you are. 

Vehicles like the Chevrolet Bolt have recommended services like: 

• Tire rotations every 7,500 (or every six months) 
• Replacing air filter once a year (or 15,000 miles) 
• Brake fluid flush every two years (or 30,000 miles) 
• Coolant flush every 15 years (120,000 miles) 

These are just to name a few, but it is important for consumers to understand that EVs need to be maintained as well. The most important part of an EV is the battery. Over time, batteries begin to lose the ability to hold a charge, which will damage the range with which you can travel. 

All of this comes at a time when it is increasingly more important to have technicians that are certified to fix and service EVs. You can count on 2023 to be an important year for repair shops, big and small, to invest in personnel who can increase your vehicle output by being able to service this upcoming wave of vehicles with an electric powertrain. 

2023 Projections Look Promising 

Many businesses, including some of our clients, have been forced to close due to the lasting effects of the pandemic. For many small repair shops finding employees is still a huge challenge. Even before the pandemic, interest in manual labor jobs dwarfed in comparison to more glamorous desk bound jobs. 

Growth in the aftermarket sector is expected to continue, with a whopping 8.5% increase in 2022. It is said that the industry will grow another 3.5% in 2023. In total, it is projected that the aftermarket sector will be around $514 billion by 2024. 

Parts stores have suffered the last couple of years as well, but even they contributed $216.6 billion to the U.S. economy. 2018 and 2019 saw the sector contribute $247 billion and $261.7 billion to the economy, while it declined the last couple of years during the pandemic. 

With this expected growth in the aftermarket sector, we should see growth for small repair shops due to demand within the aftermarket and auto parts sectors. 

At Optimize, we are excited to see what 2023 brings, and look forward to helping our clients meet, and even exceed, their projections for 2023. Thank you so much for reading Automotive Trends for 2023. We cannot wait for another wonderful year filled with the industry content you need! 

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