The electric vehicle market continues to grow in anticipation of the new petrol and diesel sale
ban in 2030. This shift towards electric vehicles means investment in training will be required to
meet demand and ensure technicians have the requisite knowledge, skills and qualifications
that will allow them complete any work required on the EV to the highest safety standards and
as quickly as possible.
“With electric vehicles becoming more popular, we are noting an increasing number of cases
where the repair cost is more difficult to calculate. When an air bag goes off it sometimes
requires the vehicle’s EV battery to be removed and a fuse replaced within the battery pack.
This means the correct battery equipment will be required to remove and refit the battery
safely. Instead, the vehicles are being written off because the cost of the repair is expensive
due the battery tray forming part of the car’s structure, a specialist lift being required to
remove the battery, the cost of labour as well as the availability of parts and the need for a
temporary hire car. This can quickly become expensive and needs to be taken into account
when calculating the repair.
The constant evolution of technology within the vehicles, the growth of ADAS features, and the
introduction of secure gateways is leading to more vehicles requiring calibration with OEM
tools. As more and more businesses are offering diagnostic and calibration services, they need
access to the right products and services to do the job inhouse and avoid outsourcing
unnecessarily. Repairify’s highly qualified staff provide remote support with cloud-based OEM
solutions that enable the bodyshop and mechanical repairers to rely on them to help calibrate
cameras, radars, and programme vehicles back to OEM standards, minimising customer vehicle
downtime.
To address this issue, it is more important than ever that technicians have the necessary
knowledge, tools and training to efficiently complete the repairs alongside having the relevant
parts available. Repairify assists technicians through the process with the provision of
technology and training that ensure they have the skills needed to repair EVs correctly and
safely, providing access to tools and software solutions that will enable businesses to be EV
ready as ADAS systems evolve.
In addition, there will be a shortfall of 160,000 workers in the automotive sector by 2030
according to the IMI and the dearth of new blood entering the industry means this shortage will
continue to grow. Businesses can help bridge the gap through apprenticeships and training
programs that are supported by the apprentices levy and other support schemes that are
available. As a business Repairify is committed helping fill the gap by investing in training
programs both internally for our team and externally for our customers. We understand that
training will assist in equipping the industry with the skills that are needed to keep pace with
the work entering the workshop floor and the knowledge to understand the technology within
the vehicles that are coming off the production line.
