Electric cars: EGEA is focussing on the challenge facing workshops

According to the December issue of its newsletter EGEA inside, the European Garage Equipment Association (EGEA) has made it its mission to support workshops in this change and make them fit for the future. To this end, a new working group has been set up with the aim of identifying gaps in information related to equipment, training and educational programmes and disclosing these to the EU Commission.

Some pressing issues have already been identified by the EGEA: over-the-air services, work on high-voltage systems and the safe handling of lithium batteries. "A major problem is that, with the new generation of electric vehicles, many more updates and diagnostics take place over the internet; EU legislation on remote access is still pending and some of the new vehicle manufacturers are still blocking the independent aftermarket," the EGEA publication says. In addition, the association believes that workshop employees are not always adequately protected during high-voltage work and when handling highly flammable lithium batteries because of a lack of information or specifications. Lifting platforms and equipment for the safe removal of underbody batteries from the electric car are mentioned as examples. And tyre workshops also need the right information about contact points so that the battery is not damaged when the vehicle is lifted and so that it does not catch fire.

Here is the entire December issue of the EGEA inside newsletter.