Tips for diving into EV repair

Tips for diving into EV repair

Delve into the details of one shop owner's journey diving into EV collision repair work.

In life, you can choose to be an early adopter, go along with the crowd or get dragged kicking and screaming against change. That’s how I look at repairing electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). We’re all going to have to repair them sooner or later, so it’s better to get prepared now and be ready for the wave.

A Way of Life

As the owner of two CARSTAR locations in the San Francisco area, EVs are a way of life. The Bay Area leads California with the most EVs and, with Governor Newsom’s push for 100% EV sales in 2035, the EV market is dynamic here.

I made the decision several years ago to embrace EV repairs. First, I bought a Tesla so I could become familiar with the cars we were going to be repairing. I read everything I could about the vehicle, how it was manufactured and how it operated. I also studied the available materials on what it would take to repair them, including the different approaches, tools and facility requirements.

Taking the Plunge

Then, I took the plunge. First, my team and I needed to get our technicians to “buy in” to the EV technology and not be put off by it. I-CAR’s EV courses have been a tremendous resource for our technicians and estimators. We also worked closely with CARSTAR, that provided guidance and resources to help us get up to speed. We participated in the OEM training provided by Tesla and earned our certification as a Tesla-approved repair facility. In addition, I used my own personal Tesla to demonstrate the differences between EVs and gasoline-powered vehicles.

We converted a space with curtained-off areas dedicated to repairing EVs and aluminum vehicles, as most EVs utilize this lightweight metal. We also transitioned to the 3M Total Automotive Sanding System to minimize dust particles in the shop. This not only reduced our airborne debris and cleanup time, but it also boosted our technicians’ morale because they didn’t end the day covered in dust. There were other tools and equipment required by Tesla that we needed to acquire to work on EVs, such as a Pro Spot PR-5 riveter, Millermatic 350P MIG/pulse welder and a Car-O-Liner bench with the EVO1, 2, 3 and Vision 2 measuring system and the Tesla-specific MS and MX base fixtures.

Open Arms

Our technicians have welcomed EVs with open arms, as there are no traditional engine parts to deal with like with internal combustion engines. Repairing steel or aluminum components is just like any other internal combustion vehicle in accordance with OEM repair procedures. There’s also the cool factor of being able to work on the latest vehicle technology.

Some people are concerned about working on EVs and storing them in their facilities, but we haven’t had any incidents. Working on high-voltage vehicles isn’t as scary as it sounds; with the proper training on handling the EV high-voltage system, it’s completely safe.

We’ve been working on Teslas for a year now, and for 2022, we saw a 45% increase in new EV repairs compared to 2021. Today, 30% of our repairable cars are EVs. That is a very solid return on our investment!

Tips

If you’re going to make the move to repairing EVs, you have to plan your investment first, then map out your schedule to become ready to repair. Here are a few tips:

  • Know what types of EVs are in your market and what the trends are. Work with your paint company, which often has great data. Look at what dealerships are opening (Tesla, Rivian and Lucid) and what current dealerships are offering in EVs. This is a good indicator of what you’ll be repairing in the next year.
  • Review your facility and the needed upgrades. Do you have room to dedicate an area to EV repair? Can you create a “clean” facility?
  • Determine the tools and equipment you’ll need. Each OEM has specific repair requirements to guide you, and I-CAR is very helpful, too.
  • Engage your technicians. Their buy-in is critical. Reinforce how you’re investing in their careers and helping them attain cutting-edge skills.
  • Educate your customers. If you’ve repaired their vehicles in the past, they probably have an EV in their driveway now that will need repairs at some point. Make sure you’re informing your customers about your new EV-certified repair services. And, work with your local dealerships to ensure they’re referring their EV repairs to your facility.

This article first appeared on our sister brand, BodyshopBusiness. If this piques your interest, you can find more EV-related collision articles there.

You May Also Like

Goodyear debuts commercial EV tire for regional fleets

Goodyear said the RangeMax RSD EV is equipped to handle the higher load capacities of EVs.

Goodyear-EV-1400

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has introduced its RangeMax RSD EV tire, the company's first EV-focused tire compatible with EV and gas- or diesel-powered regional work vehicles.

Goodyear said the RangeMax RSD EV is equipped to handle the higher load capacities of EVs and was engineered to deliver low rolling resistance for improved efficiency to fleets regardless of drivetrain.

Ford to double, triple production of some EVs

Ford plans to produce additional Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning, Maverick and E-Transit vehicles to meet customer demand.

Ford-Lightning-F150-Mustang-Boost-EV-Production-1400
Stellantis to make $155M EV investment in three Indiana plants

Optimized electric drive modules will help platforms achieve driving range up to 500 miles, Stellantis says.

Stellantis-Electrification-EV-1400
Ford wins USPS contract for 9,250 left-hand drive EVs

The USPS also awarded three suppliers contracts to purchase more than 14,000 EV charging stations.

USPS-EVs-1400
U.S. feds announce new EV charging network standards

The new standards will ensure everyone can use the network, no matter what car you drive or which state you charge in.

Federal-EV-Charging-Standards-1400

Other Posts

The Future of Motorcycling: ICE vs. EV

Does it really have to be a battle between these two bike powertrains?

ICE-vs-EVmotorcycles-1400
Sono Motors terminates Sion solar-powered car development

The company said termination of the Sion program reflects a decision to focus on a capital-light business model.

sono-motors-bosch-1400
Emotion is among the biggest motivators for EV buyers

Connecting with consumers’ emotions and personality is more likely to ignite interest in battery electric vehicles.

Emotion-EV-Buying-1400
Hydrogen passenger vehicle sales slowly gaining traction

The U.S. hasn’t made much progress implementing this technology, but hydrogen deployment is accelerating in Europe and Asia.

Hydrogen-Passenger-Vehicle-1400