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Volkswagen car plants were planned to restart production this week, with factories in Zwickau and Bratislava (Slovakia) the first to open.

 

The other plants in Germany and in Portugal, Spain, Russia and the USA were also to restart production this week.

 

Subsequently, in the course of May, production will be resumed successively in South Africa, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico.

 

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) plants in Hannover and in Poland at Poznań and Września are also gradually starting production at reduced capacity levels.

 

Ralf Brandstätter, chief operating officer of Volkswagen, said: “With the decisions by the federal and state governments in Germany and the loosening of restrictions in other European states, conditions have been established for the gradual resumption of production.

 

“Volkswagen has prepared intensively for these steps over the past three weeks. In addition to developing a comprehensive catalogue of measures for the protection of our employees’ health, we have also forged ahead with the re-establishment of our supply chains.”

 

On this basis, short-time working is to continue at the Volkswagen plants in Germany. However, the number of employees affected by short time working will be successively reduced in line with the resumption of production.

 

Production will be resumed in line with the current availability of parts, Government requirements in Germany and Europe, the development of sales markets and the resulting modes of operation of the plants, it said.

 

Irrespective of these developments, compliance with the stringent health protection measures for employees will always be the top priority.

 

Andreas Tostmann, Volkswagen board member responsible for production and logistics, said: “We are resuming production and logistics with a staged approach in a well-organised way.

 

“The health of our employees has the highest priority. We are providing safe workplaces and the maximum possible level of health protection with a 100-point plan.

 

“In full awareness of our responsibility, we are ensuring that the economy regains momentum and cars once again leave the plants and reach our dealers and customers.”

 

Volkswagen Group Components had already started to resume production step-by-step at its plants in Brunswick and Kassel from April 6, followed by the Components plants in Salzgitter, Chemnitz and Hanover, as well as the Polish plants, starting production from April 14, to safeguard component supplies for vehicle production in China.

 

Thomas Schmall, CEO of Volkswagen Group components, said: “The step-by-step reopening of our plants was important in order to safeguard supplies to overseas locations. Now we need to restart the entire production network while taking comprehensive protective measures and to supply all the vehicle plants of the various brands with components. The same high requirements for the health protection of our employees apply to all our plants.”

 

In the resumption of production, the company can also call upon the experience gained with the production ramp-up at its plants in China, where a large number of consistent health protection measures have been successfully implemented.

 

Overall, 32 of the 33 plants in China have now returned to production. No cases of coronavirus have been reported among the employees there.

 

Volkswagen says it continues to closely monitor the global situation arising as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Further action will be based to a large extent on dialogue and procedures within the Volkswagen Group and recommendations including those of the Robert Koch Institute.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The number of vehicles stolen in England and Wales rose by more than one-fifth (21%) between 2016 and 2019, according to a freedom of information request by AX.

 

Responses obtained from police forces across England and Wales found much of that increase occurred between 2016/2017 and 2017/2018, with a ride of 14.1%.

 

The report follows research by Verizon Connect earlier this year, which found the average fleet loses around £16,000 per year as a result of vehicle or equipment theft.

 

Neil Thomas, director of investigative services at the provider of intelligent vehicle protection and management technologies and a former detective inspector, said: “While the lockdown may temporally reduce some types of car theft, criminals are using increasingly intelligent ways to steal vehicles and continue to find success.

 

“The combination of organised crime getting smarter and ability to make quick returns has drastically increased pressure on police forces to control the theft of motor vehicles.

 

“Car thieves are opportunists and have no respect for property and will remain determined to carry on illegal activity despite the current restrictions on movement across the UK. I have even seen recent reports of vehicles belonging to key workers being stolen.

 

“During this period of lockdown, it’s even more important that car owners remain vigilant and do what they can to keep their car safe while they’re using them less frequently, if at all.”

 

Of the 17 police forces that responded, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire Police saw the largest increases, with Nottinghamshire Police reporting an overall rise of 60%.

 

Hertfordshire, Surrey, West Midlands and Essex Police each saw overall surges of more than 40%.

 

However, some forces have seen a decrease in motor vehicle thefts, including Merseyside Police and Avon and Somerset Constabulary. Humberside Police reported the largest drop, with a decrease of 36%.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Holdcroft Group Fleet will begin vehicle deliveries and collections from Wednesday (April 29), after adapting processes to provide a contactless home delivery service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Vehicle collections and deliveries have been suspended by leasing companies during the lockdown, while carmakers have put production on hold across the world.

 

However, the Department for Transport (DfT) says in a letter to the logistics sector that logistics, including the collection and delivery of vehicles, should carry on during the lockdown, provided that it can be done in accordance with coronavirus safety guidelines.

 

The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) urged dealerships and other delivery agents to start moving vehicles again, earlier this month.

 

Group fleet director at Holdcroft Group Fleet, Malcolm Pearson, told Fleet News: “In light of recent advice from the Government regarding delivery of new cars to customer’s homes and their desire to keep the UK economy going, we have adapted our process to accommodate a contactless home delivery service whilst ensuring social distancing and safety for all parties.

 

“From Wednesday (April 29), we will be recommencing deliveries albeit starting with a low volume while we gradually bring a number of employees back from furlough.”

 

However, he added: “Due to manufacturers not delivering new stock to us at the moment we can only deliver vehicles we have physically with us.”

 

Some manufacturers have announced plans to slowly begin production at plants in Europe.

 

Audi will restart car production at its plants in Europe during the coming weeks, with ‘normality’ expected by the end of the month.

 

The company announced the temporary suspension of production at its European sites in mid-March due to supply bottlenecks and a drop in demand due to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Suppliers and service providers will also restart at the same time, in an effort coordinated with the Volkswagen Group.

 

PSA Group has also announced a gradual restart of its facilities, including the Ellesmere Port Vauxhall plant.

 

A multi-franchise dealer group based in the Midlands and North West, Holdcroft is one of largest vehicle retailers in the UK and Holdcroft Group Fleet is a fully licenced transport company operating its own fleet of transporters.

 

Pearson said: “We are taking all necessary precautions to deliver safely to customer addresses and have recently introduced contactless home delivery for new fleet vehicle orders.

 

“When booking the delivery this process will be outlined with the customer and will only progress and take place if both parties are completely satisfied with the process.

 

“All vehicles will be delivered on a transporter – to both reduce the number and length of time we have to spend in a customer car as well as eliminating the need for the use of any public transport ensuring safe return of our employee.”

 

Delivery drivers will also follow strict protocols in ensuring the vehicle is disinfected. “Drivers are fully equipped with gloves and the correct hand sanitisers,” explained Pearson.

 

“They will re-wipe all areas they have come into contact with once the new vehicle is parked in the correct new location, before finally wiping the keys and placing at the customers front door and stepping back to allow them to be picked up for the car checked over.”

 

Customers will not need to sign any paperwork or handheld device but will be asked in advance for permission to sign on their behalf once they have checked the vehicle over externally.

 

Pearson said: “A down-side to social distancing means the usual level of vehicle demonstration will not be able to take place, but this may also not be possible for many months to come depending on future government guidance around social distancing.

 

“If the customers are self-isolating, shielding or are nervous, but they still want the car delivered, we will leave the car and allow two hours after to inspect the car and advise us of any concerns.”

 

In terms of vehicle returns, Holdcroft Motor Group will be instructing the customer that they must be able to clean the car with appropriate anti-bacterial wipes and then not enter the car for three days prior to collection.

 

The keys must also be wiped at that time and placed in a bag or envelope and be left at the door in the same way it is approaching deliveries of new cars.

 

“This will reduce the risk of any virus remaining on hard surfaces after three days,” said Pearson. “We will re-wipe handles and keys as necessary before we move the vehicle as well.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

BMW is continuing to develop hydrogen powered cars, as part of a collaboration with Toyota.

 

The German brand says it plans to test its next-generation powertrain in prototype X5, in 2022.

 

Named the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT, the powertrain combines a hydrogen fuel cell with BMW’s new eDrive electric unit.

 

Fuel cells from the cooperation with Toyota will be deployed in the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT, alongside a fuel cell stack and overall system developed by the BMW Group.

 

A peak-power battery enables the system to deliver up to 374PS, while producing no emissions. Refuelling the vehicle will take three-to-four minutes.

 

Klaus Fröhlich, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Research and Development, said: “We are convinced that various alternative powertrain systems will exist alongside one another in future, as there is no single solution that addresses the full spectrum of customers’ mobility requirements worldwide.

 

“The hydrogen fuel cell technology could quite feasibly become the fourth pillar of our powertrain portfolio in the long term.

 

“The upper-end models in our extremely popular X family would make particularly suitable candidates here.”

 

Although the BMW Group has said that it has no doubt as to the long-term potential of fuel cell powertrain systems, it will be some time before the company offers its customers a production car powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology. This is primarily due to the fact that the right framework conditions are not yet in place.

 

The OEM believes hydrogen will be used primarily in applications that cannot be directly electrified, such as long-distance heavy duty transport.

 

According to BMW, the requisite infrastructure, such as an extensive, Europe-wide network of hydrogen filling stations, is lacking at present.

 

However, it is pressing ahead with development work in the field of hydrogen fuel cell technology.

 

The company is using the time until the infrastructure and sustainably produced hydrogen supply are in place to substantially reduce the cost of manufacturing the powertrain system.

 

In the meantime, a total of 25 electrified models are slated for launch by 2023, including at least twelve with an all-electric powertrain.  By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know that I have been talking about wireless electric vehicle charging for over 3 years. It seems that the industry is seeing sense at last.

 

Interest is increasing in electric vehicles (EVs), but consumer anxiety and misconceptions over the ease and availability of charging has slowed EV proliferation on a global scale.

 

While wireless charging addresses many of those concerns, there are still myths circulating about how it works.

 

In reality, EV wireless charging is as efficient as plug-in options. Wireless EV charging based on magnetic resonance technology operates between 90% to 93% efficiency from the grid to the EV battery, well within the 88% to 95% efficiency range of conventional Level 1 or 2 plug-in EV chargers.

 

Wireless delivers the same charging power – in the same amount of time – as conventional plug-in methods.

 

EV wireless charging is flexible. Magnetic resonance requires neither physical contact nor fully accurate car alignment. No mess or fear of forgetting—your EV charges automatically, hands-free. The same charger can support low vehicles like a sports car up to high ground clearance SUVs.

 

Magnetic resonance can also work through water, snow, ice, concrete and asphalt—so the EV can charge no matter the circumstance or installation.

 

EV wireless charging is safe. Wireless charging is a totally hands-free experience. No gas pumps or charging cables to mess with.

 

Magnetic resonance systems deliver energy from a ground pad to an embedded vehicle-side receiver, and all magnetic fields are contained in a limited space underneath the vehicle.

 

Following years of rigorous analysis and testing by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), wireless EV charging meets all regulatory guidelines for human safety.

 

Wireless EV charging technology keeps stray magnetic and electric fields below the well-established safety limits used in all consumer products, such as induction cooktops, cellphones or Bluetooth headsets. Sensing and processing hardware, which can detect foreign and living objects and vehicle position, ensure safety and ease of use.

 

EV wireless charging is being standardised on a global scale. Today, charging connectors have not been standardized across automakers and regions, and drivers sometimes have difficulty finding a plug that fits their specific model.

 

For wireless charging, automotive industry groups including SAE International (global), IEC/ISO (global) and CATARC (China) agreed from the beginning to create industry standards to ensure full interoperability.

 

EV wireless charging is dynamic. A future benefit is dynamic charging, which enables charging ‘on-the-go’. This is a breakthrough for taxi fleets which will be able to ‘power snack’ as they move through taxi queues waiting for passengers.

 

Wireless charging can help accelerate adoption of EVs in taxi fleets—important for the urban environment—by eliminating charging down-time and maximizing ‘in-service’ time on the roads.

 

EV wireless charging is a key enabler for the future of mobility. Wireless charging will also be critical for autonomous vehicles and autonomous parking, automatically charging by positioning themselves over local wireless charging pads.

 

While full robo-taxi deployment may be some years out, auto-valet parking is near at hand. Ultimately, robo-taxis are expected to dominate the passenger-miles in urban environments and smart cities, and wireless charging is a key enabler.

 

EVs are reshaping the automotive industry, and wireless charging can help make them accessible and appealing to all.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The cost of electric vehicle (EV) base models has risen by 18% since 2013, according to research from Cap HPI.

 

However, it says drivers are now enjoying significantly more technology and performance to compensate for the higher investment.

 

The analysis shows that selected EVs have 48% more battery life, almost two thirds (60%) extended range and a quarter (23%) improvement in higher engine performance.

 

The research reviewed base versions of the BMW i3, Kia Soul Electric, Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe. All of the automobiles reviewed fell into a price range of £18,000 to £35,000.

 

The number of models in this category has jumped 360% since 2012 to now account for 23 models and 132 derivatives.

 

To accommodate this growing sector and meet market demand, Cap HPI has made significant increases in the data volumes available for battery electric vehicles over the past 12 months.

 

The company has also added new data fields including battery capacity and fast charging information during a recent major upgrade of EV data.

 

The increase in data volume and accessibility will empower the automotive industry to provide more accurate vehicle identification and drive accurate valuations, the total cost of ownership figures and a host of other data services, says Cap HPI.

 

Jon Clay, head of vehicle identification at Cap HPI, explained: “We continue to invest and innovate to ensure the industry has the depth and accuracy of data required to work efficiently.

 

“Advancements in technology mean the process of harnessing new vehicle data is speeding up and can be used in new ways to drive a digital customer journey.

 

“The pace of changes continues to accelerate with the number of EV derivatives doubling in the last year.

 

“As technology advances, Cap HPI will continue to look at new ways to use the data for the benefit of customers across the supply chain.”

 

The EV data offers a detailed list of fields to cater for several variables within the category. As an example, there are four stages of battery charge speed relating to all the different manufacturer information along with more standard fields.

 

The new set of fields is available in three formats in total, NVD SQL, NVD CSV (Car Enhanced Technical CSV) and NVD JSON (Car Enhanced Technical) JSON and will receive updates alongside the standard engine types currently available. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News.

Compensation could be owed to UK business that bought or leased new cars and vans between October 2006 and September 2015, as a result of legal action taken against five shipping firms for price fixing.

 

MOL, “K” Line, NYK, WWL/EUKOR and CSAV were found to have violated EU competition law by the European Commission on February 21, 2018. The EC held that the shippers had coordinated rates, allocated tenders, coordinated reductions of capacity in the market and exchanged commercially sensitive information to maintain or increase the price of intercontinental shipping of new vehicles.

 

The companies were fined £343m by the EU and now class representative Mark McLaren has filed a claim against them for overcharging UK consumers and businesses, instructing law firm Scott+Scott UK LLP.

 

McLaren said: “When UK consumers and businesses purchased or leased a new car, they paid more for the delivery of that car than they should have done, as a result of a long-running cartel by five of the world’s leading maritime shipping companies. I have spent much of my career working in consumer protection and I strongly believe that compensation should be paid when consumers are harmed by such deliberate, unlawful conduct.”

 

Affected vehicles include those from Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Peugeot, BMW, Mercedes, Nissan, Toyota, Citroen and Renault.

 

The claim is being brought in the Competition Appeal Tribunal as a collective action on an opt-out basis, so that all eligible consumers and businesses will benefit from any damages awarded without incurring any legal fees or risk of adverse costs.  The value of the claim is believed to be in excess of £150 million – or up to £60 per vehicle.

 

Businesses or consumers that purchased one or more new cars, or light commercial vehicles, between October 2006 and September 2015 are automatically included within the class.

 

Class members will not pay costs or fees to participate in this legal action. The legal action is being funded by Woodsford Litigation Funding.  There are no legal or other fees, or any risk of adverse costs, for class members.

 

For additional information or to register interest, visit https://www.cardeliverycharges.com  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

 

The following information is guidance provided by the Government. During the MOT 6 month exemption period you must ensure that the vehicle is still roadworthy and safe to drive.

 

You’re responsible for making sure your vehicle is always safe to drive (‘roadworthy’). It can be unsafe even if you have a current MOT certificate.

 

You can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get 3 penalty points for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.

 

Checks you should carry out

 

Every time you drive you should check:

• the windscreen, windows and mirrors are clean
• all lights work
• the brakes work

 

Your vehicle’s handbook will tell you how often to check the:

• engine oil
• water level in the radiator or expansion tank
• brake fluid level
• battery
• windscreen and rear window washer bottles – top up with windscreen washer fluid if necessary
• tyres – they must have the correct tread depth and be free of cuts and defects

 

The handbook will also tell you when your vehicle needs to be serviced.

 

Tyre tread

 

Tread must be a certain depth depending on the type of vehicle:

• cars, light vans and light trailers – 1.6 millimetres (mm)
• motorcycles, large vehicles and passenger-carrying vehicles – 1mm

Mopeds only need to have visible tread.

 

There must be tread across the middle three-quarters and around the entire tyre.

 

By Graham Hill – reprinted from Government website

Millions of motorists have been ripped off in a £150million delivery scheme to inflate the price of new cars, it is claimed.

 

Eight in ten new cars have seen price increases of up to £60 after shipping firms conspired to fix delivery costs, according to a lawsuit.

 

A total of 17million cars are said to have been affected over ten years. Now lawyers are to launch a US-style ‘class action’ against five of the world’s biggest shipping firms to try to win money back for consumers.

 

Customers affected include those who bought from Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Peugeot, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota, Citroen and Renault, between October 2006 and September 2015.

 

At the heart of the case is a line near the end of every customer’s new-car bill which reads: ‘Plus delivery.’

 

The exact amount of ‘overpayment’ owed per customer will vary based on how far the car may have travelled, including from the Far East and the US.

 

The maximum overpayment is £60 with an average of about £9 per car. But if a family has bought or leased a number of new cars over the decade the sums quickly add up, according to legal firm Scott+Scott which is bringing the action.

 

The ‘class action’ – a group legal suit under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 – has been filed in the Competition Appeal Tribunal on behalf of consumers and businesses who purchased or leased new cars and vans between 2006 and 2015.

 

In 2018, EU watchdogs found the five shipping firms guilty of running an anti-competitive price-fixing cartel – and fined them £330million.

 

They ruled that the firms had coordinated tenders, allocated customers, conspired on capacity reductions, and exchanged commercially sensitive pricing information to maintain or increase shipping prices.

 

All the companies had acknowledged their involvement and agreed to settle the cases, watchdogs said.

 

The shippers were caught out by a so-called ‘ratters’ charter’ which gives immunity to the first member of any cartel to blow the whistle on their partners. This gives guilty firms an incentive to ‘rat’ first on the others to avoid hefty fines.

 

Lawyers say car-makers are not the guilty parties, pointing out that they too were outraged by the rip-off.

 

The five companies are Japanese carriers MOL, K Line, and NYK, Sweden’s WWL/EUKOR, and Chile’s CSAV. Although not household names, their role in moving cars around the world is huge.

 

The case is being led by Mark McLaren, formerly of consumers’ group Which? A pre-trial hearing is expected in the autumn.

 

He said: ‘When UK consumers and businesses purchased or leased a new car, they paid more for the delivery than they should have done… I strongly believe that compensation should be paid when consumers are harmed by such deliberate, unlawful conduct.’

 

David Scott, of Scott+Scott, said: ‘Consumers and businesses who bought or leased a new Ford, Volkswagen, Peugeot, BMW, Mercedes or Toyota, for example, are owed money.’

 

He added: ‘Just because these international shipping companies aren’t household names shouldn’t mean that they are able to get away with it.’

 

If the ‘class action’ case is won anyone who bought an affected car will be automatically entitled to money back. All they need to do is provide their details and proof of purchase or lease and they will get paid.

 

The shippers have already been hit be penalties beyond the EU, including Australia, China, Japan and the US.  By Graham Hill thanks to the Daily Mail

Electric vehicle drivers are set to face longer periods of downtime in the event of a mechanical failure or collision if automotive aftersales businesses don’t adapt more quickly to handle new models.

 

As CO2 caps and taxation are expected to push more drivers into electrified cars over the coming years, and environmentally-conscious businesses seek to increase their electric van fleets, dealerships, workshops and bodyshops are under greater pressure to deal with repairs and maintenance to the batteries and high-voltage electrical components in these vehicles.

 

While maintaining an electric or hybrid car or van is often no more difficult than one powered by a combustion engine, technicians must be specially trained in order to avoid getting shocked by the electrical system.

 

EVs with a driveline fault, or those involved in a collision can prove the most difficult to deal with as manufacturers are often slow to release technical repair information and roll out training.

 

Michael Brown, fleet manager at Virgin Media, said: “You need to build in things like if an EV is involved in an accident, it’s going to have to go to a specialised dealer to be repaired. There is also a higher risk of the vehicle getting written off if the battery is damaged.

 

“We’ve had problems with Teslas. Someone had a rear bumper repaired and it was literally just a new bumper needed to be put on. Our approved bodyshop wasn’t allowed to touch it, so they had to put it on a recovery truck, drive it 200 miles to a Tesla-approved repairer and then the driver sat there and waited while it got repaired.”

 

The number of plug-in cars on UK roads is low at the moment, accounting for less than 1%. Many of them are in the hands of private buyers as fleets have struggled to get hold of high volumes of stock.

 

This year, a number of manufacturers promise to increase EV fleet volumes, meaning there will be more on the road doing more miles.

 

By 2030, the National Grid predicts there will be between 2.7 and 10.6 million EVs on UK roads. As part of its Road to Zero Strategy, the Government plans to end the sale of petrol, diesel and hybrid cars altogether by 2035.

 

Pete Eden, national business process and technical manager at the National Body Repair Association (NBRA), said: “Most OEMs have prog-rammes in place that see hybrids and EVs are recovered and taken to facilities that have trained personnel to repair them. They also have recovery agents in place trained to lift such vehicles safely.”

 

But not all UK dealers have the personnel or equipment to work on electrified vehicles – yet.

 

“EV/hybrid tooling is widely available now, the main thing missing from the repair of EVs/hybrids is knowledge,” Eden added.

 

Paul Taylor, fleet manager at Morgan Sindall, said manufacturers are still playing catch up when it comes to maintaining EVs.

 

He explained: “The problem, particularly with electric commercial vans, for us in the outlying areas is getting the maintenance done because they’ve not got that big a range. When we put our first few (electric vans) in at Heathrow, the supplier told me where the nearest dealer was and I said I couldn’t get there.”

 

Work is being done to boost the level of EV-trained technicians in the industry, which currently stands at about 5% according to the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI).

 

Sue Robinson, director of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), which represents franchised car and commercial vehicle retailers in the UK, said: “Due to the rapid growth of the EV market, franchised dealers and manufacturers are quickly retraining their staff and, as a result, there is currently no expectation of longer waiting times for repair and servicing of EVs.

 

The organisation launched its own Electric Vehicle Approved (EVA) scheme last year, which requires that retailers have enough EV trained technical staff so customers will not face ‘unreasonable wait times and barriers to servicing or emergency repair work’.

 

More than 60 dealerships have now been ‘EV approved’ responsible for several major brands. These include Nissan, Volkswagen, Kia, Hyundai, Renault, Audi, Mitsubishi, JLR, BMW and Volvo.

 

Last October, the IMI’s TechSafe standards for car technicians working with EVs were officially endorsed by the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV).

 

The accreditation is designed to give fleet operators and EV drivers confidence that their vehicle is being maintained or repaired by competent individuals.

 

Allianz Partners UK, which provides roadside assistance technicians to work on behalf of OEMs, is ensuring its entire workforce achieves the accreditation. Its technical development manager Ian Burchette, said: “As EVs become more popular we have a duty of care as an assistance provider to protect not only our technicians when they repair these vehicles, but also the public and our partners.

 

“We have always invested in the continual professional development of our technicians, making sure they are trained to the highest level. The skills and professionalism of our roadside assistance technicians are at the heart of our success, and this new commitment enables us to continue to deliver the best customer service on behalf of our manufacturer clients.”

 

The AA told Fleet News that all its technicians are trained to work on EVs, minimising the wait time in the event of a call-out.

 

A spokesperson said that, while the most common reason for a call-out was a flat tyre, easily fixed at the roadside, if the vehicle was to suffer a failure of the driveline components, the technician would not attempt a roadside repair and, instead, the vehicle would be recovered to a suitable workshop.

 

Bodyshops replace workshops

 

Much of the danger involved in the handling of EVs and hybrids is best understood by the body repair industry, where risks from damaged components are higher, leaving it best placed to handle repairs of these vehicles.

 

Graham O’Neill, CEO of ACIS, a distributor to the accident repair market, predicts 21st century bodyshops will replace traditional mechanical garages and servicing centres as EVs become mainstream.

 

He says bodyshops will become vehicle “hospitals” with all the expertise to perform battery transplants.

 

“Bodyshops are different to what they used to be, and the more professional ones are certainly ahead of the game when it comes to EV training on how to repair vehicles safely.

 

“We have put many of these bodyshop technicians through the ACIS EV and ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) training programmes, as the demand is there,” O’Neill said.

 

It’s possible that in the future there won’t be servicing of engines, simply the replacement of the batteries or the repair of electronic components.

 

Currently, many dealerships are already outsourcing these services to manufacturer-approved bodyshops because they don’t have the room or the ability to recalibrate the vehicle’s ADAS systems post-repair.

 

“This outsourcing extends the process and the complexity and cost to drivers who are increasingly looking to reduce their key-to-key time so they can get back on the road as fast as possible. Today’s bodyshops have become more agile and customer-centric,” O’Neill added.

 

Initially, manufacturers only provided training to approved bodyshops, making it difficult for the independents to attend. This has changed, according to Eden, who says there is a “growing market” offering training on hybrid/EV systems.

 

“The OEMs don’t always get the vehicle directed to them as some are insured independently. These vehicles find their way into independent repair facilities. Today, many of the UK independent repair shops are investing in the equipment to repair EVs and hybrids,” Eden said.

 

How Norway is coping with EV repair and maintenance

 

Norway is often seen as a benchmark for electric vehicle adoption. In just a few years, the country has achieved a rapid growth of EVs on its roads, enabling it to have Europe’s lowest average CO2 emissions.

 

The country’s network of workshops and recovery agents has been forced to adapt rapidly to this changing dynamic.

 

Car manufacturers have been instrumental, by internally certifying Norwegian mechanics to be able to handle the high-voltage batteries and other diagnostic tools required to repair and maintain the vehicles.

 

Erik Lorentzen, head of analysis and consultancy at the Norwegian EV Association, said: “In 2019, the market share for new EVs reached 42%. It was a significant growth of 30% compared with 2018. So, of course, we have seen a significant growth in workshops offering service and repair on electric cars, by providing both the necessary tools and certification.

 

“This increases competition. The Norwegian EV Association has been encouraging this for a number of years since it benefits all EV owners.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News.