Electric and hybrid vehicles 34 www.aftermarketonline.net SEPTEMBER 2024 Are garages ready for the electric revolution? James Lett, technical editor of Autodata, says the new government’s ‘2030 vision’ is a wakeup call for UK garages There’s a lot of talk about the electric vehicles deadline in the media. While it looks like the new Labour government is committed to reinstating the 2030 target for EVs, the most recent king’s speech failed to address key commitments to EV growth, leading to uncertainty over how this deadline will be met. Furthermore, a recent report by AlixPartners revealed the UK is set to significantly miss the current targets for EV sales by 2035. It is clear more needs to be done if these targets are going to be met. While the majority of the conversation centres around charging points, battery range and cost, there is one core element that is being forgotten: do we have enough people to service and repair EVs? Without innovation and training, the aftermarket risks falling behind and losing business as more EVs hit the roads. But the responsibility cannot rest solely on the aftermarket to make this change. Cross-industry collaboration will be vital to equip aftermarket technicians with the skills to perform EV repairs and services safely and effectively. Before 2030, we must ensure each part of the automotive ecosystem is ready. With the amount of upskilling and preparation needed, garages not immediately expecting to work on EVs should still begin planning and learning as much as possible now. Current roadblocks EV repairs pose several challenges for technicians. Unlike traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, EVs feature high-voltage electrical systems and complex battery management. Implementing these sophisticated charging systems requires updated certifications and new skillsets for diagnosing faults and issues. These skills and certifications come with two issues for garages. First, it is expensive to train and invest in these skills, putting garages off making the investment. However, the aftermarket should remember it is much more expensive to take on new technicians compared to upskilling Continued on page 36
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