Since the start of this year, the push for electric vehicles has intensified as governments worldwide strive to meet their net zero emission targets.
In the US, President Joe Biden wants EVs to make up two-thirds of all new car sales by 2032. With significant support from the government, major automakers decided to ultimately halt their traditional car production by 2035.
Even though this is wonderful news, it will impact auto mechanics, CBS News reports. EVs require less maintenance because they have fewer moving parts.
EVs to “starve a lot of people out of this industry”
EVs typically require substantially less maintenance because they have fewer parts than conventional cars.
For context, there are 33,000 moving components in an internal combustion engine vehicle, per CBS News. An EV, on the other hand, only has 13,000 parts.
Neither oil nor oil filters need to be changed for electric vehicles. Additionally, EVs have no engine, so there are no cooling mechanisms to prevent an engine from overheating. Although EV brakes need to be replaced, they are less frequent than in conventional vehicles.
According to AAA, a standard car’s average annual maintenance cost is $949, while that of an electric car is $330 less.
“[Electric vehicles are] going to starve a lot of people out of this industry.”
Sam Cicinelli, ex-auto technician and current International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers official
Would electrification threaten jobs for auto mechanics?
Automotive service technicians should experience “little or no change” between 2021 and 2031, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
However, the agency does not see any development potential in this area. It forecasts that there won’t be many new positions available and that most of the openings will be caused by workers quitting the sector. Furthermore, it claims that the rising popularity of electric vehicles may constrain the future demand for mechanics.
Notably, California has 39% of all EVs in the US and the most automotive technicians per capita. However, it has started to see how EVs are affecting these occupations. The state’s total number of authorized independent car shops has decreased by over 13% since 2014.
EVs offer longer warranties, urging car shops to leave the traditional car industry
California-based AutoTrend Diagnostics’ owner Dave Kusa asserts that car shops for traditional cars are quitting because of the expensive warranties.
For instance, the Ford F-150 has a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty. Now, new EVs offer an 8-year/100,000-mile battery warranty thanks to US federal law. That amount covers replacement prices of $4,000 to $20,000.
As a result, EV owners must service their vehicles at dealerships rather than independent shops.
Auto mechanics need training for the EV future
Auto mechanics must be retrained to prepare them for the electric future. EVs require maintenance as ICE cars, such as transmission fluid replacement and tire rotation. However, most of its maintenance requirement is software based than nuts and bolts.
Unfortunately, legacy mechanics resist the change.
“A lot of people are resistant to change because they have to learn a whole new skill set.
Older technicians are just not that interested in making that change and retooling their toolbox.”
David Favre, Wake Tech’s dean of transportation
North Carolina’s biggest community college is a National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium member. They aim to support students training for a sustainable economy.
Favre asserted that introduction to EVs class is now required for all their transportation students. He also stated that one in every four students pursued EV-specific training.
The Consortium’s interim director Trina Wafle stated that EV-trained students are highly in demand. They are also often offered a higher salary than traditional mechanics.
See Also:
- Australia needs to train 100,000 mechanics on EV repairs and maintenance
- Britain is projected to face a critical shortage of EV mechanics by 2030
- Mechanics and dealers facing challenges as the industry shifts to electric vehicles
- Do EVs need to be serviced?
- Volkswagen prepares employees for an electric future through escape rooms
Indeed, the rapid growth of EVs is unstoppable. To support the EV shift, mechanics must receive new training, and youths must be encouraged to enter the field.
