Urgent warning to EV drivers over major garage issue which could see them fork out £1,000s MORE on repairs
ELECTRIC car owners could be forking out thousands more on repair bills due to a shortage of mechanics who know how to fix them.
Drivers may end up paying the price due to a lack of EV-qualified technicians and independent repair shops across the globe.
It means motorists may be paying ridiculous fees when forking out for both repairs and warranty cover.
Fewer than one in five mechanics are currently qualified to work on electric vehicles and many cannot afford to retrain.
And a large majority of garage owners are unwilling to splash cash on training and equipment to fix high-voltage electric cars.
But this is a necessity – as these vehicles, of up to 800 volts, could electrocute and kill untrained technicians in a matter of seconds.
The risk of electric motors catching fire – which are notoriously difficult to extinguish – is also a major issue for mechanics.
Industry figures have called for an increase in the number of independent repair shops specialising in EVs, rather than forcing motorists to have to turn to expensive franchise dealers.
But they are already battling against a dire shortage of workers and the forecast for the next decade doesn’t look much better.
The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) estimates there may be a deficit of a whopping 25,000 EV mechanics by 2032.
It is currently rolling out EV courses across China, with plans to introduce them out across Europe and India.
Yet a host of mechanics remain reluctant to expand their knowledge, including Roberto Petrilli, who owns an independent repair shop in Milan, Reuters reported.
The 60-year-old thinks spending €30,000 (£25,700) on EV equipment “is not worth it” as the motors aren’t as popular in Italy.
But for those who are hitting the roads in an EV, this hesitation could see them slapped with soaring bills and longer repair times.
Warranty costs are also reportedly on the rise, with some EVs costing more than triple the average compared to fuel-powered cars.
Warrantywise CEO Lawrence Whittaker said his firm is relying on costly franchise dealers for EV repairs.
He says this is because they typically have mechanics with the correct knowledge, whereas they are hard to come by at independent shops.
But Whittaker warned EVs will continue to be a pricey investment for Brits due to warranty and insurance becoming more expensive.
“How are people going to afford the higher repair costs?” he said.
Mark Darvill, managing director at Hillclimb Garage in High Wycombe, says many mechanics are held back by the “fear of the unknown”.
His firm are planning to inject £25,000 into training and equipment for EVs as he believes they will soon make up 35 per cent of repairs.
The IMI estimates that just 20 per cent of UK automotive technicians have received some EV training.
But only a measly one per cent are qualified to carry out more complex jobs out of the realm of routine maintenance.
In the first half of this year, the sales of EVs rocketed by 33 per cent.
But while there are more on the roads, the number of EV courses taken by mechanics fell by 10 per cent in the first quarter.
We previously told how Brit mechanics warned that electric vehicles will drive them out of business, while car manufacturers cash in.
Repairmen slammed the Government’s plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, saying it will decimate independent garages due to the lack of specialist equipment and training.