Professional Distributor - 4

EDITOR'S NOTE

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Taking the pulse on
electric vehicle service
Your shops may be looking to take on new
business. Help them get a good start.

E
BY SARA SCULLIN
EDITOR

920-568-8394
Sara@VehicleServicePros.com

lectric vehicles are still
intriguing consumers,
and in this hybrid-electric
market Tesla leads the pack.
U.S. consumers purchased an
estimated 70,000 Tesla electric
car models in the first half of
2020. While Elon Musk's illustrious brand reportedly owns
80 percent of electric sales
in the country, they're not the
only one in the game: Toyota,
GM, BMW, and others continue to forge ahead with hybrid
and electric vehicle development. That means these cars
are hitting repair bays with
mixed reviews.
Some consumers and aftermarket professionals alike are
hesitent to get onboard with
electric, perhaps rightfully so.
A lack of charging infrastructure may make consumers
think twice before breaking
from their internal combustion
engines (ICE). Technicians, too,
may be hhesitant to tackle this
type of service simply because
there isn't much information out
there to reference.
Historically it hasn't been
easy for techs to find trustworthy guidelines or communities to inform on best practices
or standards for maintaining
electric vehicles. In fact, there
are currently little to no requirements or standards in the U.S.
for electrified vehicle work. The
good news is more information
on this topic comes to light each

day, and training standards are a
work in progress.
Read Scott Brown's take on
hybrid and electric vehicles - or
as he calls them, "the future of
all progressive shops," on page
30. Brown notes while hybrid
and electric vehicles are showing up in repair bays regionally, it's something all futurefacing technicians should keep
tabs on. He also includes a list
of resources that anyone can
tap into to learn more about
electric vehicles and their
service requirements.
Like their ICE counterparts,
these vehicles are still comprised
of tires, brakes, and suspension
components, but it's important
that techs understand how the
drivetrains differ, as well as how
to conduct safe and competent
service on electrified models.
And of course, mobile tool
dealers can take inventory of
products that may particularly
benefit hybrid and electric repair
and share with their customers.
Some easy-to-stock essentials
are CAT rated tools for electrical work (including safety
gear like gloves) and scan tools,
as well as tools that help the
vehicle's HVAC system run at
peak performance.
Do you have customers with
electric and hybrid driving clientele? Check in with your shop
owners to see how they feel
about maintenance and service
in this emerging market.

4 Professional Distributor I September 2020 I VehicleServicePros.com

Printed in the U.S. Volume 28, Number 8; September 2020
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT - TRANSPORTATION

Reggie Lawrence rlawrence@endeavorb2b.com

VP/GROUP PUBLISHER, ENDEAVOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLE GROUP

Kylie Hirko 630-253-4034 Kylie@VehicleServicePros.com
EDITOR Sara Scullin

920-568-8394 Sara@VehicleServicePros.com
MANAGING EDITOR Brittany Vincent

502-519-7978 Brittany@VehicleServicePros.com
ASSISTANT EDITOR Tyler Fussner

920-234-6232 Tyler@VehicleServicePros.com
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920-234-6359 Emily@VehicleServicePros.com
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