Aftermarket March 2023

W i th the ICE deadline now just seven years away and plug-in vehicles representing more than a quarter of new car sales last year, you cannot deny that EVs and hybrids are a growing segment. Garages that get in now will see the investment pay off. While EVs offer new opportunities, there are also new problems to deal with, as Pro-Align CEO Clive Seabrook observed: “As EV usage continues to grow, workshops need to be equipped and staff trained in order to address a host of new servicing challenges. While much focus and attention, quite rightly, is on the vehicle’s electronic architecture, workshops should also consider new challenges associated with traditional components. EVs are proving to be a continued force in car sales across the UK, with the SMMT reporting that battery electric vehicles were the second most popular powertrain for new car registrations in 2022 – meaning workshop owners are likely to be welcoming more and more customers through their doors with wheel vibration issues. These vehicles no longer have the roar of an internal combustion engine to 48 AFTERMARKET MARCH 2023 ELECTRIC AND HYBRID VEHICLES www.aftermarketonline.net drown out any external noise, meaning drivers are now more aware of other vibrations, such as those from the wheel and tyre assemblies. Consequently, workshops need to prepare for this with equipment that can diagnose and solve these issues efficiently and effectively.” New servicing challenges The solution, according to Clive, is the Hunter road force elite (RFE) diagnostic wheel balancer: “This is because traditional wheel balancers are unable to solve the most challenging and subtle of wheel vibration issues other than by trial and error alone. Adopting a unique diagnostic approach, the RFE can provide a fast, first-time fix to any wheel vibration problems, even doing so in less time than a standard wheel balancer. The RFE differs from standard balancers as it measures tyre forces known as road force variation (RFV) and lateral force (LF) to conduct a full diagnostic of the wheel and tyre assembly. It does this by scanning the wheel rim and applying a load via a roller to take the wheel and tyre assembly on a simulated road test. Once RFV is identified, the balancer provides a Above: Aftermarket’s Editor Alex Wells getting a dose of EV training at Delphi Technologies training centre PLUGGING INTO THE MAINS As electric vehicle sales rise, and hybrids continue to make up a big chunk of the parc, you need to make sure you are connected to tomorrow, today