Four in five workshops across the UK are ready to service electric vehicles, according to a new report published by industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The SMMT said that 81.2% of all workshops in the nation had made the necessary investments in training and equipment to maintain EVs, priming the aftermarket for the nation's gradual transition away from petrol and diesel power.
There are now 1.6 million electric cars in the UK, it added, comprising more than one in five currently on the roads. That is set to rise significantly as the government's Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate ramps up; under current plans, it will effectively require that eight in 10 new cars sold here in 2030 be electric.
To ensure a smooth transition, the SMMT has called on the government to guarantee that independent workshops will be able to access key repair and maintenance information to ensure fair competition with those backed by manufacturers.
It added that the government should consider mandating the Security-Related Vehicle Repair and Maintenance Information (SERMI) scheme to boost confidence in it, and to bolster the exchange of information between manufacturer and workshop.
It also backed calls for reforms to both the MOT process and fee, noting that extra flexibility is needed to support garages and the radical technological transformation taking place.
"With a rapid influx of smarter, zero emission vehicles reaching the road, however, helping businesses invest will be crucial if more drivers are to make the switch while maintaining the UK’s leading road safety record, and creating crucial jobs in every part of the country," said Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT.
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