The Auto Repair Shop Of The Future

The process of automotive repair is evolving in a new direction. Is your automotive repair shop going to survive? This answer could depend on your willingness to pivot into a new market. 

Your repair shop won’t be full of traditional mechanics working under hoods anymore. Instead, it will be full of technicians and engineers. In contrast to gas-powered internal combustion engines, electric vehicles do not require oil changes and have fewer moving components that are unlikely to break down, reducing the need for automobile repair shops. It would be possible to fix some minor issues on electric vehicles by updating over the air, like we do with our iPhones. For the low-tech auto mechanics of the undercarriage of the vehicle such as wheels, brakes, axles, and body frames, you will still need mechanics. As the EV market booms, auto mechanics will need to look to expand their skills. You might want to consider learning about EVs or changing careers entirely.

Business 

It is likely that businesses owning automotive repair shops geared towards the EV market will have a slow start as more and more electric vehicles are being rolled out by industry leaders. Once the newer EV’s start running out of their warranties, customers will start looking for alternative solutions. You are the key to solving that problem. In order to ensure that your business is ready to survive when the time comes, you need to make your business ready to accommodate for the rapid growth of the EV market. 

The competition could rise to the level of regular auto repair shops at some point. Many electronic repair companies may be interested in EV repair since it may offer an attractive business opportunity. From troubleshooting electronic devices, they’d be able to easily switch to this business since they’d have the necessary core skills. 

Tesla has teamed up with colleges creating the Tesla Start Program which will educate the future generations on how to fix their electric vehicles. Tesla knows that there will be a shortage of qualified technicians for its vehicles, and has created a program to bridge the gap. Graduates of this program are offered a full time role at a Tesla service center, putting them at the forefront of the EV repair industry.

According to the Washington Post “U.S. auto repair industry employs about 750,000 workers, nearly four times the number of people employed by the coal-mining industry. Though they are increasingly skilled and tech-savvy, many experts say, they are not prepared for the end of gas-powered transportation”.

In the future, EVs will eventually roll into your automotive repair shop, so being prepared for their arrival is essential. 

While the EV market is rapidly growing, you still have plenty of internal combustion engine vehicles on the road today, and manufacturers are not done creating gas-powered vehicles just yet. GM and other large industry leaders have announced that they will produce only EV’s by the year 2035.  The transition phase should be steady in terms of business because combustion engine vehicles still dominate the road versus electric vehicles. 

There are many alternatives emerging in the transition phase away from ICE vehicles which will still require mechanic expertise. As an example, hybrid vehicles will operate on both gas and electricity. Hybrids will probably dominate the automotive industry for the next fifty years, according to many. Is your automotive repair shop preparing for the future?