The British Motor Show will showcase the best, the fastest and the most innovative in automotive technology this weekend, but it comes amid a huge shortfall of EV technicians needed to keep the newest cars moving, says the Institute of the Motor Industry .
Data from the IMI shows that the automotive retail sector does not currently have the skills and the pipeline of talent needed to service and repair electrified vehicles to keep the nation moving safely. The last eighteen months have put the sector into reverse in getting itself EV-ready.
Faced with the potentially fatal consequences of an inadequately skilled workforce, the IMI is repeating its plea for the government to commit funding to support EV skills training. It is suggesting a £15m boost would play a critical role, contributing towards training for up to 75,000 techniciansi .
In the context of the £1.9bn investment committed by government in the 2020 Spending Review to supporting the transition to zero emission vehicles for charging infrastructure and consumer incentives, the IMI believes this is a modest figure. It would make a significant difference, particularly for the independent sector which doesn’t have the training budgets of the manufacturer franchise network and faces being left behind, with the result that consumers will have less choice.
“It is tremendously exciting to be involved in this weekend’s British Motor Show where the best in class in our sector will be on show”, said Steve Nash, CEO of the Institute of the Motor Industry.
“But whilst the show will provide a real buzz for the future of electrified motoring, there’s no getting away from the fact that there are still some big hurdles to overcome to meet the government’s 2030 deadline for the ban of the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles.
“With just 6.5% of the automotive workforce currently qualified to work on electric vehicles there is a gaping chasm in the availability of technicians. And that chasm not only presents a safety threat for those who may risk working on high voltage vehicle systems without appropriate training and qualifications; it also means the premium on skills could add to costs for motorists, creating another, unnecessary deterrent to the switch to EV.
“The government has committed £1.9bn to tackling consumer uptake and charging issues. We are asking that £15m is set aside for employers to access to support their own investment in skills training to get their workforce EV-ready. This will be particularly important for the independent sector.”
