Cold Batteries, High Altitude: Utah Channel 3 Tracks EV and Hybrid Tech at SEMA 2026

Tuesday, September 16, 2026

By Scott Kraft, Technology Producer – TechTalk, Richard Berk, Executive Producer

Your Utah Channel 3 team—Scott Kraft and Richard Berk—is gearing up for the 2026 SEMA Show, running November 3–6, 2026, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Electric and hybrid vehicles are now a familiar sight on the drive between St. George, Cedar City, and Brian Head. Our own team covers a lot of those miles in an EV, and we know the questions owners ask once temperatures drop: How much range will I lose? How fast will it charge on a frozen morning? What can the aftermarket add?

The center of our search is the SEMA FutureTech Studio in Central Hall, Booth #24401. SEMA says the exhibit will feature more than 20 vehicles showcasing alternative fuels and EV powertrains, along with 21 30-minute microlearning sessions over three days. Featured builds include Bisimoto’s Nio EP9 and Scorpion EV’s Project SENNA. A microlearning session, “Advanced Fuels and Propulsion: Accelerating the Future of Mobility,” is scheduled for November 5 at 10 a.m. in the studio and explores hydrogen internal combustion. A related SEMA Education session, “Advanced Fuels and Powertrains: Engineering the Next Generation of Vehicle Propulsion,” is set for November 4 at 11 a.m. in Room N259.

Electric conversions will be on display, too. At the Toyo Tires Treadpass, which connects the Central and South Halls, Bisimoto debuts a 1979 Porsche 935 “Baby Moby” with a 637-horsepower electric powertrain fed by a 78 kWh battery pack running at 449 volts.

On the hardware side, the Taiwan Excellence Pavilion (North Hall, Booth #10170) lists three power and electrification exhibitors—Conquer, Delta Electronics, and Sinpro—covering EV charging, energy storage, and power conversion.

We’re concentrating on the technology side of the show:

• Cold-weather range: how battery heating and preconditioning strategies protect range and charging speed in the cold
• Charging at altitude: charging hardware and energy storage for ski-area lots, HOAs, and lodging
• Tires for EVs: low-rolling-resistance and snow-rated options; Atturo, for example, says its new 3PMSF-rated Trail Blade AT2 keeps the same rolling-resistance rating as the tire it replaces, which the company says makes it suitable for hybrids and EVs
• EV aftermarket: accessories, protection, and lighting for the electric vehicles our viewers already drive
• Hybrid and alternative powertrains: hydrogen combustion and other approaches on the FutureTech education program

Brian Head sits at nearly 10,000 feet, where long climbs, cold nights, and storm days put real demands on any vehicle. For lodging operators and HOAs, the questions are about chargers, power capacity, and guest expectations. For drivers, the questions are about range planning, winter tires, and keeping a battery warm enough to charge efficiently. Our goal is practical, technology-first reporting that helps both groups make good decisions.

We’ll be on the show floor for education sessions, vehicle walk-arounds, and conversations with exhibitors. Stay tuned for our on-site reports from the FutureTech Studio and beyond, including what we learn about cold-weather EV ownership and the aftermarket products that support it.

Scott Kraft is the Technology Producer for Utah Channel 3. He is a degreed Electrical Engineer that applies engineering testing/procedures to products that are of technical interest to those participating in sporting activities in Southern Utah.

Richard Berk is the Executive Producer for Utah Channel 3. Richard’s field of expertise is the medical field and covers medical conventions when he is not producing Utah Channel 3 content. Richard also shares the passion of outdoor sports as do all members of BHTV.

Our coverage from Brian Head is made possible by the hospitality of Copper Chase Condominiums, the premier condo resort at the mountain. Units range from studios to five-bedroom, four-bathroom penthouses, and the amenities make the crew’s stay the best on the mountain: ski-in/ski-out access, a heated pool, jacuzzi, saunas, a multi-TV sports lounge, fireplace lounge, full common-area kitchen, fitness center, vending room, laundry center, and dual heated garages. Book direct at copperchase.com or rbself.com.