An independent academic report is warning the government to make a £30m investment in specialist electric and hybrid vehicle training for thousands of technicians in the independent retail sector by 2020.
The report, commissioned by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), outlines how the UK car market is experiencing dramatic changes with plug-in hybrid sales more than doubling and pure electric vehicles increasing 50 per cent in 2015.
It suggests that this growth will soon impact small businesses that will struggle to make the investment needed to provide consumers with choice and value for money.
Serious risks
Professor Saker also points to a serious health and safety issue with unskilled mechanics attempting to work on machines with 600 volts coursing through them.
He said: “Anyone working on these high voltage vehicles needs to be properly trained, accredited and licensed.
“Our government needs to introduce or approve a scheme similar to the one we have in place for those working on gas boilers (Gas Safe Register) and the IMI’s Professional Register is a ready-made solution.
“Apprenticeship recruitment in the automotive retail sector has been static in recent years.
Apprenticeships
“What we’re looking at now is a great opportunity to reenergise this sector by attracting more young people to work with these exciting, future oriented technologies.
“As an independent commentator with many years experience and knowledge of the automotive sector I can see that we are at a crossroad; the right initiatives now, along with some appropriate investment can certainly unlock the full potential that the new technologies are capable of contributing to our economy – calculated at £51bn by 2030.
“However, we cannot achieve one without the other.”
The IMI says that unless a proactive strategy is undertaken, the UK will not be able to support the growth of future car technology safely.
Steve Nash, IMI CEO, said: “Electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid vehicles are no longer the future, they are here now and the numbers are set to increase very rapidly over the next few years with all manufacturers broadening their product offerings.
“The problem is that to the uninitiated they are just another car with some new technology, when in fact they are nothing like the cars we have all been driving up to now.”
For more information about the IMI, click ‘more details’ below.
