FEATURE

THE EV REVOLUTION:

EXPLORING THE NEXT WAVE OF SERVICE AND REPAIR - PART TWO

During the most recent Collision Industry Conference (CIC), Future Disruptions Committee panelist Sean Carey (SCG Management Consultants LLC) shared his prediction that electric vehicles (EVs) would be the predominant form of transportation in the United States by 2035. As discussed in last month’s AASP-MN News, OEMs are certainly pushing in this direction, but will gas-powered automobiles fully leave American roadways in 14 short years? While nobody has the benefit of a crystal ball, industrywide conditions in the here and now indicate that a massive EV takeover may not be as immediate as some suggest.

With locations in Woodbury and New Brighton and a third set to open in Medina this month, Eurotech Automotive Repair is one of the AASP-MN region’s most forward-thinking mechanical-service operations. As such, the shops are already experienced in working on BMW and Tesla EVs. However, Eurotech President Seth Thorson shares that EV work has only driven about three percent of his overall sales in the last six to nine months.

Although EVs are still a slow-moving addition to his business, he is keeping his eyes on the future and making sure his technicians have the knowledge, techniques and proper PPE equipment in place to professionally handle what comes through the door.

“Our technicians tend to be on board with new and emerging technologies. We have our regular shop meetings so they know what we’re doing and why they’re doing it […] Our guys are pretty on board with it because they know it’s coming.

“We’ve worked on BMW i3s, and you can read a ton on Tesla’s website and buy day passes,” he adds. “It’s no different than any electric and hybrid. You take your time and make sure you disable the battery before you do anything that touches the high-voltage system, but the majority [of vehicles] is still the 12-volt car we’ve come to love and know.”

Naturally, talk of EVs and the anticipated decline of traditional automobile production has some service professionals worried about the loss of income generated from oil changes and other regular maintenance work. While this could be a reality, Thorson is quick to dispel fears that this will dramatically impact technicians’ bottom lines.

“The hard thing with EVs is that they do need less maintenance and service. But contrary to popular belief, they still have coolant leaks. They have plastic connectors that leak. You’re going to have all the same problems with 12-volt batteries that fail. You’re going to have door handle problems and the suspension stuff that fails on every single car.”

Of course, if OEMs indeed want to make EVs commonplace in the near future, they need to assist the repair and service industries in building the infrastructure necessary to get the vast majority of facilities on the same page. Not only does this obviously include proper training, but it also means that EV certification opportunities eventually need to move beyond the dealership level and extend to the independent side. As of this writing, Audi is one OE that is focusing on getting its dealers up to speed on EVs first before branching out to other facilities.

“If you look at the tool packages that are required, the investment is fast approaching $100,000 just for hardware – and then there is that pesky tech training issue,” Mark Allen, collision and equipment manager for Audi of America, explained in a recent conversation with AASP-MN News. “These are highly specialized skills with a danger quotient applied.”

Currently, Audi collision technicians must take all available I-CAR EV training as a requirement for their general certification. However, successful completion of these courses does not qualify a certified body shop technician to work on or de-energize high-voltage systems.

“This must still be done at the dealer for the foreseeable future,” Allen said.

While it is clear that the industry’s chances of suddenly waking up one morning to an all-EV world are slim, now is the time for independent repair and service facilities to investigate what’s going on, look at the training and specialization these evolving technologies will demand and consider where these vehicles may fit in their business models and expertise. Next month, we will explore some of the training avenues already available to help industry professionals develop the plans and decisions that may work best for them.

Look for Part Three of this feature in next month’s AASP-MN News.