IMI response to Unite electric vehicle statement

Steve Nash, CEO, The Institute of the Motor Industry responds to Unite statement about electric vehicle infrastructure

“Unite quite rightly highlights the critical issue of infrastructure for widespread electric vehicle adoption, in response to the SMMT’s latest report. As the IMI has stated repeatedly, government also needs to focus attention on ensuring the right skills are in place across the automotive aftermarket sector, so that electric vehicles can be handled safely by automotive workers, in turn giving motorists confidence in this new technology.

“As we advance towards a zero-emission future, the technology that technicians will be coming into contact with on a daily basis is changing – resulting in high voltage electrics becoming commonplace. Motorists driving electrified vehicles want to know that they are handing over their vehicle to someone who has the right skills. Those who aren’t properly trained or equipped to work on electrified vehicles would be risking serious injury or potentially fatal shock. “The IMI TechSafe™ standards, endorsed by OLEV at the end of 2019, mean that electrified vehicle users can access the IMI Professional Register to check the electric vehicle technical competencies of technicians at their local garage.

“This is a crucial step in giving car buyers confidence that their electric vehicle can be serviced, maintained and repaired by a garage with the right skills – and that removes a key barrier to EV adoption. But it’s also important that government looks at investment in skills training to support a sector that is currently severely depleted by COVID-19, to ensure its zero emissions goals can be achieved.”