One in five independent workshops not planning for electromobility

Lack of demand and high training requirements are reasons against BEV maintenance, according to the study

By: Benja Hiller

Aug 27, 2024 at 4:35am ET

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The shortage of skilled labour is a task that is also on the government's agenda and needs to be solved. Independent garages also seem to have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to servicing electric vehicles.

According to a representative study conducted in cooperation with MEYLE, one in five garages are currently planning their future without servicing EVs at all. To this end, the market research institute INNOFACT AG surveyed a total of 274 independent workshops in Germany, Austria and Switzerland between March and May 2024 on current and future challenges.

Independent workshops servicing electric vehicles infographic

Meyle

According to the survey, most independent workshops do not even have e-mobility on their radar at the moment. For them, it is not a business-relevant topic. Only three per cent state that they already generate more than half of their turnover with EVs. However, according to 40 per cent of respondents, an electric car is in the yard at least once or several times a week. Changing tyres is the most frequently cited reason for a vehicle being brought in - 58 per cent. This is followed by general repairs (49 per cent) and brake servicing (38 per cent).

One reason for this is the step-by-step qualification prescribed by the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) for work on vehicles with high-voltage systems, which is often still lacking at present. This is divided into three stages: general work, work in a de-energised state and work on live high-voltage systems.

The vast majority of independent garages are currently still allowed to service electric vehicles - around 78 per cent. However, only a third of them are allowed to carry out this general work, a further 25 per cent are qualified to carry out maintenance in a de-energised state, and only one in five workshops are allowed to work on high-voltage systems and replace live components.

There is therefore a lack of specialised personnel. 70 per cent want to tackle the necessary training in the future. Of these, 39 per cent plan to generate a large part of their turnover in the high-voltage sector in future. Many are therefore recognising a trend towards the need for change and adaptation. However, almost one in five garages has no plans to repair electric cars.

In the past, independent workshops have repeatedly encountered difficulties in the adaptation process, for example with systems and software for on-board diagnostics. The problem here was not only a lack of qualifications, but also a lack of supply and, later on, costly new purchases. Training courses were also repeatedly offered by spare parts suppliers and equipment manufacturers.

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This is exactly what most workshops want now, help with implementation in order to be able to offer such services in the future. 64 per cent of respondents are relying on the support of spare parts manufacturers, 58 per cent on software and diagnostic tool providers, 52 per cent are calling for partnerships with wholesalers. These should offer diagnostic tools and repair services, specific training and certifications or set up online platforms for technical support.

"We need precisely this kind of insight to understand the challenges and pain points of workshops so that we can tailor our services accordingly. The results show that independent workshops need solutions that go beyond the usual production of parts in order to keep pace in the future," says Michael Grimm, Innovation Manager at MEYLE AG.

Source: Meyle