2026-04-18 · market-insights
Top demand-side trends for the global auto parts aftermarket in 2026 — EV thermal management, parking AC growth, vehicle parc aging and channel shifts toward digital procurement.
EV-specific thermal management components в€’ chillers, electric water pumps, refrigerant valves and battery cold-plates в€’ are growing 25-30% YoY in the aftermarket as the global EV parc passes 75 million vehicles. Distributors who add these SKUs early will capture disproportionate share.
Average vehicle age in the U.S. is now 12.7 years and rising in Europe and Latin America. This drives sustained double-digit growth in brake friction, filtration, suspension and lighting в€’ all VETHY core categories.
New anti-idle ordinances across the U.S., EU and Latin American capitals are accelerating parking AC retrofits in Class-7/8 trucks and sleeper coaches, growing the global parking AC market at a 14-18% CAGR.
Buyers increasingly start with English-language Google search before contacting a supplier. Wholesalers who invest in deep, sourced, multilingual product content (not just thin catalog pages) are winning the 2026 procurement funnel в€’ which is exactly why this site exists.