With the UK Government poised to bring forward the ban of the sale of all hybrid, petrol and diesel cars from 2040 to 2035 in response to the recommendations made by the Committee on Climate Change how are we going to protect those motor mechanic technicians from the potential dangers of new generation from non-fossil fuelled vehicles?
 
Facts:
 

• 35,000 independent service garages across the UK employing 160,000 motor technicians.
• 7,000 franchised service garages across the UK employing 22,000 motor technicians.
• Only 5% of motor technicians are currently qualified to work on a high voltage system.
• 1 in every 10 new cars sold in the UK are electric or hybrids.

 
Source:  IMI, OLEV, SMMT, Motor Trade Association.
 
When maintaining an electric vehicle it is often no more difficult than working on a vehicle powered by a conventional internal combustion engine, however motor technicians must be trained in order to avoid getting shocked by the electrical system.
 
Each garage employer must also ensure that all motor technicians working on an electric vehicle are operating within the requirements of the “Electricity at Work Act.” This piece of legislation is rigorously enforced by the Health and Safety Executive, it is there to protect motor technicians from the potential electrical dangers from the new generation of electric vehicles.
 
Underlining the need for industry led electric vehicle accreditations and qualifications for motor technicians as well as roadside motor technicians and emergency personnel working on electric vehicles the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has developed a suite of accredited training courses which look at the hazards, components and work safety & repair on electric vehicles.  

For more information on Revamp’s  suite of regulated (IMI) Electric & Hybrid Vehicle courses which are reviewed and monitored by the (IMI) regulatory body please check out our course pages here.
 
With the support of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) recommendations to implement a “License to Practice” for those motor technicians working on electric and hybrid vehicles now forms part of the government’s “Road to Zero” strategy.
 
 
“These professionals are currently operating in an unregulated space and we firmly believe that our proposed License to Practice, supported by accreditation schemes, will deliver a higher level of competency, skill and safety for technicians and motorists alike,”
 
(IMI) Chief Executive, Steve Nash
 
 
For further information on the Institute of the Motor Industry’s (IMI) TechSafe standards which has been officially endorsed by the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) please open the web link below.

Looking forward to working with the Megapower team in Barbados later this year and getting to grips with the tear down of the NISSAN LEAF battery pack. 

These delegates thoroughly enjoyed the experience of the diagnosis and repair of the battery modules and the high level of safety & tooling required to conduct the tasks.  dit.

The electric vehicle (EV) battery, also known as a traction battery is the source of energy used to power the electric motors of a Battery (BEV) or a Hybrid (HEV) electric vehicle.  They are usually classified as rechargeable (SECONDARY) batteries.
 
The most common battery types found in an (EV) use lithium-ion and lithium polymer battery chemistry. Why? These types of advanced batteries offer high energy density compared to their weight. 
 
Lithium-ion battery technology is the same type of battery commonly used in portable electronic devices (smartphones and laptops).
 
During electric vehicle operation the battery will hold “charge” and undergo repeated cycles of “discharge” when driving, and “charge” when the vehicle is plugged in.  Continuously repeating this process over time will affect the amount of charge the battery can hold over time.  As a consequence this decreases the range and time needed between each journey of charge.
 
Lithium-ion and lithium polymer batteries are recyclable, they also offer the opportunity for re-purposing used (EV) batteries for second life storage.

​What does this mean? At the end of the electric vehicle’s life the battery still has value unlike an internal combustion engine. 

It seems like a long time ago since we delivered the IMI Level 3 Award in Electric / Hybrid Vehicle System Repair and Replacement to the new team of engineers and technicians at RICARDO Engineering in Shoreham. 

All of the delegates thoroughly enjoyed getting to grips with the High Voltage system and the procedures required to work safely on and around it.

You can see here the level of tooling, PPE and skill required to carry out the safe isolation process on this Hybrid HV system.  We offer a range of these knowledge and skills training courses from Level 1 Awareness up to Level 4 ‘Live Working’ on the HV Battery Modules. 

Give us a call and lets get your teams prepared for the future of transportation.

Like all internal combustion engine vehicles the electric vehicle has to be serviced and maintained at regular intervals.  

​With no need for oil or air filters, a gearbox or clutch and an exhaust system electric vehicle drivers can save hundreds of pounds a year on service and maintenance costs.  

With less moving parts the electric vehicle is simpler to service and maintain which means less break downs for the electric vehicle customer.
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Where do you go to get your electric vehicle serviced and maintained?
When it comes to servicing an electric vehicle not every garage will have an employed accredited electric vehicle mechanic/technician who can check your vehicle’s electric motor, battery pack and high voltage electric cabling. Best advice for the electric vehicle owner, I would refer you to your nearest dealership.

How often should you get your electric vehicle serviced and maintained?
In line with the manufacturer’s service schedule an electric vehicle needs to be serviced at the same time intervals as an internal combustion engine vehicle.  Note, electric vehicle services are usually minor with less component parts to check.

What procedures are followed when an electric vehicle is serviced?
With no oil replacement, valves, pistons or gears an electric vehicle in comparison to an internal combustion engine vehicle has a lot less component parts that can wear out, therefore the vehicle needs to be serviced in a slightly different way.  

Regenerative braking and maintenance. 
Also with electric vehicles the brakes don’t wear down as quickly. Why?  Electric vehicles make use of regenerative braking, this is a retarding action of the vehicle’s electric motor. In essence the electric motor is used to slow down the vehicle but at the same time puts some electricity back in the vehicle’s battery.  This not only makes braking much more efficient it also places less wear & tear on the braking system which means less brake dust which is great for air quality and the air we breathe. Note, with an electric vehicle you will still need to maintain your brake disks and pads however, you will notice that this is done less frequently than an internal combustion engine vehicle.