Auto Service in the Age of Electric Vehicles (EV)

Not many machines fascinate us more than cars do. There would usually be sports car and/or muscle car posters present in your average teenager’s room. Toy cars are not only bought by children but by adult collectors as well. There are many people who collect not only one but many and expensive cars including sports, classic, vintage, muscle and so on.

There are over a billion cars of all kinds in the world today and more and more are being made. This is further helped by the increasing affluence of people on a general basis which enables them to own not only one car but several cars. As a mechanic and eventual owner of an auto service business this is good news for you.

The Era of Electric Vehicles?

But times are changing in the auto industry. One of the biggest change is the fast growing acceptance of electric vehicles (EV) in many parts of the world especially in places such as the US, China and Europe. This can be attributed to the great technological strides originated by EV companies predominantly by the Tesla Car Company under the helm of Elon Musk.

So it is important to follow the EV industry especially Tesla. A few enterprising mechanics have even made a living repairing damaged and crashed Teslas right in their garage workshops. They even broadcast their business journey online and also have amassed a following of clients who want the freedom of not being able to exclusively use Tesla to have their cars repaired.

This is the future. Whether you are an aspiring mechanic or a car body repairer and so on or already an established auto service business chances are in the future you need skills in servicing both internal combustion (IC) engines which are the still dominant car type of today and also EV cars.

The Auto Service Business Today

There are already auto service businesses today who are getting alarmed towards their future businesses. Auto dealerships sales personnel are already being trained to aggressively market EV vehicles. There are already auto shops that specialise in converting IC car to EV cars. Even classic cars are being converted to EVs.

Despite the increasing popularity of the EV it is still an insignificant part of the auto market. It would perhaps take another generation before it effectively replace the IC car as the most popular car type. Mechanics of today still have plenty of time to adapt to this change. There are still many factors why EV are not being adapted on a mass basis. Big issues such as price still hinder their appeal.

Starting an Auto Service Business Today

Starting an auto service business is relatively issue. You can start at a young age maintaining or upgrading your family car and then later on using your own car. If you do not have a car you can ask your neighbourhood auto service shop to train you as an apprentice. There are even government programs that assist young people in doing so.

If you are not doing mechanical work in a car but body work such as painting and wrapping it could be as simple as showing your finished work to your prospective clients. The finished work could be the painting or the wrap work you did with your own car. It is important though that if you are in the car beautification business you should also have a beautiful car. This does not mean that your car has to be expensive.

If you are doing mechanical work you can open an auto repair shop from home like in your garage. You however need a business license to operate, a certification that you can perform car repairs and all your unsupervised workers needs to be licensed. This applies to most auto service shops even the small one man shops.

You can also provide mobile services and work on your client’s cars in their homes and offices. This has the added advantage since you could charge extra for the convenience and emergency service they get especially in bad weather. Do not make the mistake of charging the same rate as brick and mortar auto service shops because you expose yourself when you go to your clients instead of them going to you.

For example there is the great danger of being exposed to violence from criminals just because they see you as an easy target. Look at it this way. Criminals can call you and give you an address to go to that is convenient for them to rob you. Since most mobile auto repair mechanics work alone they are easy prey from criminals.

This crime does not only happen to mobile mechanics but also to mechanics in their own shops. Many car owners have a keen distrust of mechanics. They think they are always ripping them off. A disgruntled client may initiate an altercation regarding the price or the level of service the mechanic charged or did. It is advisable not to work alone for safety’s sake.

When Will the EV Dominate?

EV sales have been experiencing double digit growth rates annually and the number keeps on growing. Even elite car companies making very expensive sports cars are now selling all electric models. At present (2020) EV cars only account for 1% of all the cars in the world today which might not be much to you.

We can also consider that very many people have not even seen an actual EV in all their life. What however changes the game is that young people are increasingly being concerned with such issues as climate change and pollution and are demanding action from their government. Governments are not foolish and are aware of the power of young people to influence votes.

That is why the governments of many countries are implementing policies to reduce the effect of cars on climate change and pollution. Many countries are even implementing the gradual phase out of internal combustion engines. This is the reason why many car manufacturing companies are changing their cars to clean energy cars which includes electric models.

Of the countries who want to ban polluting causing cars the date for implementation seems to be 2030. Many European countries are in the list and we can also add such countries as India, Singapore, Israel and Japan to the list. Chances are more countries will be added to the list as the initiative gains global momentum.

2030 is not a faraway date. It is only a decade which means 10 years from now and as the new year starts it is now even less than 10 years. This date is even being made earlier by all electric sports cars which are even outperforming regular sports cars still using IC engines. Once all electric sports cars become the new poster boys for cars many more customers will follow.

Less Business for Auto Repair Companies

Internal combustion engines are complex machines with many moving parts which causes a lot of wear and tear. A new and well built IC car can last at most 3 years before requiring maintenance and repairs. This is where your neighbourhood auto mechanic shops start to make money on services and parts replacement.

Since an EV car is simpler and has less wear and tear they require less maintenance and repair. This is why there are auto mechanics who do not like EV cars because they mean less income from them. This is compounded by the fact that car manufacturing companies have started to implement policies that car repair and parts purchase be made direct to them.

Another thing that bothers auto service providers like petrol stations and auto repair shops is that electric cars run on batteries. EV batteries are made up only by a small number of manufacturers notably in such countries as Japan and Korea which has a stranglehold on the market.

Is This Really the End of Old Style IC Cars?

As previously stated at a minimum auto mechanic businesses still have a decade to prepare. Also there are more than a billion IC cars globally and even with strict government intervention it is highly likely that they would not all go away or be phased out. The IC car has lasted for more than a century now and replacing the lifestyle and infrastructure built by it would be very hard and nearly impossible.

There are also other issues. IC cars are half the price of an EV for the same make and model. SUVs are also very popular these days which makes the price of EV even more unattainable. Petrol is also relatively cheap these days and very abundant that is why many people are attracted to petrol powered cars.

Converting IC cars also costs between $5,000 to $10,000 excluding the donor car which means it is like buying a brand new low end IC car. This is a big deterrent for people who like to convert their IC cars but are more concerned with the price to benefit ratio of getting a new car even though it is still petrol powered.

Many people are also concerned with the mileage that EV have. Many are scared that their charge will run out in the middle of the road. There is also the perceived difficulty of repairing a EV when one is stuck in the middle of the road or of even getting a qualified mechanic to service it.

Auto Service Businesses You Can Still Do

There is good news however for auto service businesses even if the EV era arrives. People will still need these services even though the EV now dominates:

IC to EV Conversion
There are now auto service businesses that exclusively convert old cars into an EV. Even old sports cars and classic cars are being converted to EV. The customers are people who mainly like their old cars for their looks and not much concerned with the engine. This auto service business could be you.

Wheel/Tyre Service
Wheels/Tyres will still be made up of rubber and they need to be periodically replaced. They will also need repairing when punctured. You can also be in the business of selling custom mag wheels.

Body Maintenance
Cars get into minor and major collisions with cars and other objects. They could have dents, crash damage, need repainting and may also require anti-rust treatment especially if they are very old and not well sheltered from the environment. Car Wrapping services are also very popular these days and many car owners regularly change the wrapping in their cars.

Car Accessories
Cars can be a very personal statement to a lot of people and is their biggest accessory. There are a lot of people who want to announce their presence via their cars. Thanks also to car culture many people are personalising their cars with custom exterior and interior designs. From car upholstery and audio systems and much more you can offer car accessorising services.

Be careful when you enter the car exhaust business as the law is clamping down on excessive noise and pollution. There might be laws that make it illegal for you to offer some services and products related to car exhausts. However Exhaust Flames are popular these days as they are good attention getters for car owners. Again check if it is legal in your location.

Towing Services
An Ev is currently 125% heavier than an IC car. This means owners would find it hard to push their cars manually and towing companies with fast response will dominate. If towing services also sell the idea that towing EV is more costly in terms of wear and tear and fuel as well as difficult they stand to make more money.

Mobile EV Charger
There are now mobile EV charging businesses that offer this service. You can even buy a portable EV charger and start your own EV charging business. Last time I checked the starting price of a portable EV charger is $6,500. Chances are this service will grow even though the new EV models will come with ever increasing mileage.

Conclusion

The EV era might come and IC auto mechanics might have less work but most of their work would be transferred maintaining and repairing an EV vehicle. With the billions of IC engine powered cars and not many people being able to afford them the likelihood that they would completely disappear is still a debatable issue.

Also, even though car engines may change the basic car has not changed including the services and allied products associated with it.