2022 New Energy Vehicle Challenges + Opportunities
The shift from gasoline and diesel fuelled vehicles is the biggest change we have seen in the Automotive industry. Governments worldwide are pledging their promises of a cleaner, lower emission world by introducing bans on combustion vehicles – some as soon as 2030.
Now we see a wave of Electric Cars, Busses, Trucks and Commercial Vehicles, the shift poses a set of challenges for the entire industry. But it may not prove difficult, the opportunities that arise may be worth pursuing.
The way we diagnose vehicles will undoubtedly change. This is due to the simplified setup of batteries and electric motors, charging circuits and the overall schematics of an EV.
Trend of Electric Vehicles
Globally, the last 10 years has provided a huge drive towards electric vehicles. This is only predicted to grow further; with many analysists suggesting we are only at the beginning. From 2019, the electric car market grew by 9% from 2018. However single digit growth is slow considering the EV market in the six years prior was between 46% and 69% year on year.
The pandemic affected 2020’s figures with an overall downtrend in vehicle production. Despite this, predictions were low at the start of the year but soon proved to be a positive growth of EV sales by 43% over 2019 figures. Overall the end of 2020 showed 4.6% of cars sold were EVs.
2021 predicted the biggest change to date in EV sales. With plug in hybrid and pure battery electric vehicles there was a 6.4million figure estimated. As a result, a 98% growth year over year on these types of vehicles.
Europe sees the largest shift in EV buying, with 14% market share of vehicles sold in the first half of 2021. This is double the 7% figure during the same period in 2020. This is partly due to governments offering incentives to those who buy an electric car. With less company car taxes, a discount/ grant on the purchase of a new EV and free home chargers all being used to force owners to switch from their combustion vehicle.
Cars are just one aspect of EVs, with new companies such as Arrival in the process of releasing a fully electric bus, along with Chinese suppliers BYD and Thunder Sky Energy Group. Scooters and bikes are shifting to high torque electric motors as they offer a smooth and quiet ride and are much more affordable to charge at home.
Electric Vehicle Repair Opportunities
The overall consensus in reliability tests and owner surveys reveal that EVs break down less often. This does not mean all EVs are perfect, the shift in the market forces vehicle repairers to shift the way they operate too.
Engine oil and filter replacement will no longer exist, along with standard component changes such as spark plugs, fuel injectors and exhaust systems. Major components such as clutches, transmissions and engine changes will be a thing of the past. These require a lot of labour in the workshop and are the bulk of a repair shop revenue.
The shift to EVs forces workshops to learn about their functions, be more advanced in the way they repair EVs and concentrate on what goes wrong in an electric car. Faults include:
Tire Replacement - Electric Cars are easy and more appealing to drive, meaning there will be more out on the road. Each one needs four tyres, which typically wear out quicker than a combustion car. With four-wheel drive EVs, they output power more evenly and as a result wear out tyres faster.
Other parts such as steering, suspension, brakes, safety features, bodywork and paint are all needed for an EV to function. These will not be too different from what a technician is used to, and most repair shops can manage.
What is new to the EV world is battery chemistry, software engineering and electric motors. Majority of mechanics and technicians are not trained in these fields, and it begs the question – what can be done to make their lives easier?
Upgrades in Diagnostics and Repair Tools
Using advanced software and programming, diagnostic tools are connected to the cloud, constantly being upgraded and are adaptable to new Electric Vehicles as soon as they are released.
Devices such as the Phoenix Remote have functions which adapt to electric vehicles. Technicians are guided by a series of instructions on diagnosing and repairing EVs in a safe manner. Using the vehicles VIN, the Phoenix Remote instantly recognises the car as an EV, removing any confusing combustion car features that does not exist on an EV.
The software connects via the cloud to a central server which stores all vehicle data. The 10.1-inch touch screen provides a clear picture of what the issues are with the vehicle. Plus, the schematics of the EV are laid out in front of you to quickly diagnose the issue and repair it.
Being upgradable as new Electric models are released, Phoenix Remote is the all-in-one repair tool you need for this evolving market. After all, the hassle of learning new technology costs a repair shop time and money. With Phoenix Remote, the customer can get back up and running in no time with an efficient repair process that reduces repair shops turnaround time too!
Conclusion
Electric Vehicles offer many advantages over combustion fuelled cars. They are quicker off the line, more efficient, quiet and refined to drive and have low running costs. The shift to EVs is well underway and repair shops need to be prepared to fix the influx of Electric models that are hitting the market.
Phoenix Remote is the solution you need for repairing Electric Vehicles quickly and easily. Your repair shop technicians can diagnose Electric Vehicles intelligently. And, if they meet any tech problems, the Phoenix Remote supports remote diagnostic by the TOPDON technician team; your technicians just need to create a remote order and click 'Sure.'
Sources:
https://www.virta.global/global-electric-vehicle-market
