LKQ Academy has pledged to coach one other 1,000 technicians from impartial garages within the servicing of hybrid automobiles and electrical automobiles (EVs) by the tip of 2023.

The coaching arm of the provider group LKQ, which owns motor issue Euro Automobile Elements, has already educated greater than 2,000 technicians in hybrid and electrical automotive upkeep and restore.

Unbiased repairers are gearing up for a rising variety of plug-in automobiles within the UK.

Bob Wiffen, workshop options director at LKQ Euro Automobile Elements stated: “Though lots of the latest automobiles can be maintained by their dealership to start out with, there are many hybrids specifically which can be of their fourth and fifth years of possession, and which can be coming into the impartial aftermarket now.

“Garages that act quick to upskill their workforce will retain their loyal clients as they improve to newer, cleaner applied sciences – concurrently attracting hybrid and EV drivers from the competitors.”

The LKQ Academy can be launching various new programs to assist the impartial aftermarket get hybrid and EV-ready.

A two-day coaching course ‘Changing into an EV Storage’ begins with an summary of the plug-in market within the UK, earlier than protecting some great benefits of tapping into this rising sector of the market, and the way to make hybrid and EV servicing and upkeep a worthwhile workstream.

There are additionally two new sensible programs now obtainable for technicians who’re already educated to degree 4 and trying to develop into specialists in hybrid car restore. One is concentrated on downside fixing, evaluation, analysis and restore for prime voltage methods, with the second course centered on excessive voltage batteries.

Bob Wiffen added: “Many drivers are getting into into the relative unknown with their first hybrid or EV, and are fastidiously selecting which workshop to take it to. It goes with out saying that investing in the precise expertise on the workshop flooring is crucial for garages trying to take benefit – however for that to essentially repay, so is efficient advertising.

“Garages that spotlight their hybrid and EV experience and functionality on their web sites and on social media are greatest positioned to win the boldness of their clients, and with our assist, can construct their fame as a neighborhood specialist in a market that’s solely going to develop.”

LKQ Academy gives IMI-approved programs for all ranges, and a free expertise evaluation to technicians trying to assess the place they could must top-up their coaching.