With the UK government now also announcing plans to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has warned that the implications for the automotive industry are “monumental” and that it will need support to keep businesses viable.

The IMI questions whether technicians are adequately trained to work on EVs and suggests that the facts reinforce the challenge. It predicts there will be up to 10.6 million EVs on the road in the UK by 2030, which would require some the support of some 70,500 qualified technicians. At present the IMI estimates only around 5% of UK automotive technicians are EV proficient, with a similar or lower percentage in Ireland.

The IMI is calling on the UK government to recognise the importance of accredited skills and the need for adequate funding as they feel that government action is needed urgently to encourage employers to accelerate EV training plans.

The IMI has introduced a TechSafe standard, which will allow electric vehicle users to access the IMI Professional Register to check the electric vehicle technical competencies of technicians at their local garage. They are also rolling out EV training courses and an eLearning initiative.