2030 might seem a while away, but before too long it’ll be upon us - and all of the brand-new petrol and diesel models we’re so used to seeing in 2022 will disappear from new car showrooms for good.
This obviously has serious implications for the car manufacturing industry (and for supplying dealerships), but what about the nation’s independent garages and workshops? How will they cope - and will it actually affect their day-to-day operations much?
Staff shortages
The first potential bump in the road for independent garages is manpower (or lack thereof). A recent study by the Motor Ombudsman indicated that garages are struggling to find staff with EV experience - or find the time and money to send them on appropriate training courses.
38% of those asked said that they only had a limited number of people on their books trained to work on EVs, which could make the going tough as more and more Electric and Hybrid vehicles roll into the workshop.
Over the next few years, garage owners will need to set time and money aside to train their staff on EV-specific servicing and repair techniques. If they don’t, they may find their regular work diminishing post-2030.
Access to EV servicing equipment
The myriad of technical differences between EVs and internal combustion-powered vehicles means that specialist equipment and tooling is required to maintain them. Most workshops don’t currently have this equipment in their arsenal, but now is a great time to invest; EV sales are accelerating rapidly year-on-year, so the sooner you’re able to work on them, the better.
At Hofmann Megaplan, we have a range of specialist equipment to cater for every EV need, from specially designed vehicle and battery lifts to hand tools. Explore our full range of EV servicing equipment online today and kit your workshop out in readiness for 2030.