Aircon 52 www.aftermarketonline.net JUNE 2026 The hidden revenue in EV air-con maintenance Although maintenance of the air conditioning system has not generally been listed as a task in the scheduled service plan of a typical combustion engine powered vehicle, when it comes to battery electric vehicles and some modern hybrids, things are different. DENSO explains how this gives independents a great opportunity to develop their AC offering and benefit from the revenue-generating potential that servicing these systems provides. The reasons why air conditioning (AC) maintenance has not previously featured in service schedules largely revolved around the perceived costs, particularly the projected total cost of ownership over the life of the many vehicles owned by leasing companies. However, the end result is that despite being an important system within a vehicle, AC remains one of the least understood subjects in the independent workshop. To make matters worse, as there is no mention of AC service in the owners’ handbooks, motorists also don’t think of it as a service item, and ironically, the one AC offering that most workshops do provide, namely ‘topping up the gas’, is arguably the least appropriate solution. This is because it is usually a symptom of an underlying problem, which is the issue that should be dealt with, but is almost always overlooked. The outlook Having addressed the rather gloomy background, there is a more positive outlook, one that is brought into even greater focus with the growth in the number of battery electric vehicles (BEV)s and modern hybrids now in the vehicle parc, which are gradually beginning to find their way into independent workshops. These vehicles generally do include the AC system in their prescribed service schedules, as it not only provides important cabin comfort for the occupants, but is also a crucial factor in the thermal management of the vehicle, particularly the high voltage battery, which is vital to ensuring the range, efficiency and reliability of the whole vehicle. With this change in its priority comes the opportunity to specialise in AC service, argues DENSO. What does AC service include? In a nutshell, the process comprises the recovery of the refrigerant, visual inspection of the system, leak finding, evacuation, charging and performance testing. Naturally, in common with almost all service and repair work, specialist equipment is necessary to undertake AC service, and unfortunately, even here, difficulties can arise. Understandably, many workshops will opt for an automatic machine as, theoretically, it can do the job more efficiently, allowing the technician to carry out other tasks, like draining the engine oil or checking the brakes, during the procedure. However, while they are good at running a predetermined cycle, they provide limited process control and can potentially mask an underlying problem, as the technician is often unaware of what it is actually doing and so has no idea if something is wrong. To help with potential leak detection, for example, many machines will automatically introduce UV-dye into the system, which is helpful to find the source of a leak before rectifying the problem and re-gassing, but this process must only be done once. This is because, in effect, it dilutes the oil/ refrigerant mix, and a mixture that is too
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