The mechanic who maintains and repairs van in a one small unit operating as a independent company says it’s already a dying trade, the younger guys are not going to be able to trade as he does.

It will, presumably, boil down to the sort of garages which look after "classic" and older cars nowadays.

My MOT man has said that he has no intention of training on EVs, but he seems to keep busy for the time being.

Yes, retraining mechanics to be electricians will be quite a job and technical colleges should immediately start offering part time or evening courses in my view.  Most sensible garage managers will I think be willing to pay an incentive to staff who can qualify to deal this both types of vehicles.

Another problem is parking EV's in an enclosed space as there is a risk that one of the batteries might explode..

Anyway, in my view, EV's are really most necessary inside cities to keep the air clean and these mini cars can have small lithium batteries of 10 to 20 kWh that can be charged at home or elsewhere fairly quickly.

 Motorway vehicles and long distance heavy lorries will almost certainly be more efficient using a diesel or petrol engine and the CO2 they emit can be readily absorbed by the roadside vegetation.  

retraining mechanics to be electricians

How demanding need the retraining be? Present mechanics can hardly be unaware of electrical systems - probably 95% of the systems in IC vehicles are electric/electronic already - from the lights to the wipers to the EMS to rear demister to the starter motor. They can't be strangers to either batteries nor motors and should already be aware of some of the problems associated with higher voltages (from petrol ignition systems), larger currents (from starter motors) and stored electrical energy (shorting out even a 12V lead acid battery in close vicinity to petrol is already well recognised as a bad idea). Most of the other bells and whistles (management systems etc.) varied a lot between different makes/models of IC vehicles so an EV's systems probably isn't much more of a challenge that encountering a new model of IC vehicle - and likely to be treated as a black box at forecourt level anyway (plug in a diagnostic system and if it says "no" just replace the whole box). Some of the mechanics (gears, clutch) disappear - but nothing there isn't really going to be a problem and the mechanical systems that remain (brakes, steering, suspension) are likely not to be that different from what they're used to.

Certainly some training will be needed (e.g. safe isolation) but overall is it that different to what they're used to?

          - Andy.

Will that mean the humble mechanic will need to be aware of BS7671 and EAW1989 and a whole host of fire safety regulations some yet to be explored?  Eg the amount of fire detection and suppression needed for a small local garage as apposed to a main dealer/service center site?  Will the local fire and Rescue to to come to site to inspect garage for fire safety compliance?

I assume they will also need to and probably forced by insurance companies to do risk assesments for the site as a whole and each vehicle that comes into the garage as EV fires are on the rise. 

Will mechanics need VDE tools?

There are so many factors that will come into play.  EG Will Tesla (other brands are available) allow non-Tesla garages to work on their cars or will this void the warranty?

The weight of these vehicle is generally heavier than the average car will the trolley jacks need to be upgraded?

Which EVSE to fit at the garage?

Earthing arangements and annual EICR?

I am sure the list could go on and on.  I do think that the current set of vehicles on the road with ICE will last on average 10 to 15 years and then a percentage will still be around as Vintage.  I wonder how many EV will last 10 to 15 years?

I cannot imagine that either the qualifications of a domestic electrician, or the standards for UK wiring will apply to much inside an electric vehicle - it will be much closer to an appliance repair with the added complication that most of it is not the power electrics (though the best end of a kV of batteries will focus the attentions)

I imagine that most 'wiring' jobs will be small electronics, using CAN bus diagnostics and so on, leading to (as they are now) reither the placement of consumables - brake pads, tyres, alarms and lock problems, perhaps some lubricants and cooling fluids and so on, or to complete module repacement (parking sonar,, lidar modules,cameras and so on will not be repaired at internal component level, but as plug in boxes) and repairs to damage - replacing bashed wheels, bent doors, steering tracking and all the things like that we see today.

It will change, but as with the advent of petrol over steam, and steam over horses, there will still be a role for cunning chaps who understand enough to pull the sharp metal away from the tyres and to get it going again.

Mike

PS

I'm less sure if there will be a safe future for all-electric banger racing however.

mapj1 said:

I cannot imagine that either the qualifications of a domestic electrician, or the standards for UK wiring will apply to much inside an electric vehicle - it will be much closer to an appliance repair with the added complication that most of it is not the power electrics (though the best end of a kV of batteries will focus the attentions)

Re BS7671 and EAW1989

I am NOT sure than many mechanics pay much attention to

LV supply arrangements be it TT or TNsomething.  However they will now need to become aware of it for safety.  They (garage owners) may even need to start putting in more Earth Rod/Spike or ConDuDisc for retro fits of garage.

MCB in CU/DB may need to be upgraded to RCBOs or possibly AFDDs

oPEN faults detectors will need to be fitted to the site if they have EVSE without the technology, Still awaiting a BS on PEN fault detection and its testing

I can see annual EICR becoming a thing of compliance for them

Gounding mats for work on small electric parts

Fire bins filled with sand in case of components or modules having a thermal run away.  Plus the training

I thought we were discussing the maintenance of EVs - which BS 7671 explicitly doesn't cover (110.2 (iii)). EAWR already apply to garages, as current IC vehicles contain electrical systems (12V spark and petrol?). Anything to do with the fixed installation (including EVSE) within the garage will likely remain the province of the electrical contractor as it is now - the challenges of EVSE are just the same as for any other installation.

   - Andy.

LV supply arrangements be it TT or TNsomething.  However they will now need to become aware of it for safety. 

Why ? - the tools they use will be battery power or double insulated as they are now.

Building wiring will not need change, except perhaps for adding an EV  charge point and maybe a check meter to show that things are charging as expected or not.

Mike.

A lot of garages power the tools by hydrolics and pneumatic,  compressors can interfere or make noise on the electrical circuits of the building.