Aftermarket March 2022

W hile the sale of electrified vehicles grows exponentially, this is not being reflected by the number of garages and technicians who have the skills to service them. According to Julian Goulding, Marketing Manager Northern Europe, Delphi Technologies Aftermarket, this makes for a great opportunity for forward-thinking independents looking to evolve their service offering: “Electrified vehicles are nothing new, however what’s caught out the aftermarket is their sudden rise in popularity and availability. In the main, independents are playing catch-up, but what’s happening is that the available training opportunities and aftermarket parts for EVs are now growing at a pace. “Delphi Technologies is optimising its position to give independents the expertise and the quality parts to confidently service EVs. Electrified vehicles are now a big focus across our business and we’re continually investing in this space to help independents offer EV owners a quality, yet more cost-effective alternative to main dealer servicing.” “Examples include the availability of brake pads for over 98% of the UK H/EV vehicle parc, the extension of its OE- developed power electronics portfolio to the aftermarket, launch of Charge Mode 2 charging cables that can be used nearly everywhere and the introduction of steering and suspension parts for Tesla models. Notably, Delphi Technologies has also been first-to-market with brake pads 42 AFTERMARKET MARCH 2022 EVS AND HYBRIDS www.aftermarketonline.net With the ICE deadline now just eight years away, you can’t deny that EVs and hybrids are a growing segment for the 2020 Jaguar ePace.” Julian continued: “Together with that for ADAS, our IMI- accredited H/EV training is now the most in-demand of our extensive course offering, while we’ve also worked to include more electrified vehicle-focused content on the Delphi Technologies Academy online learning platform. The result is that we can now accommodate the EV training requirements of all those working in the automotive aftermarket, our offering covering everything from the correct PPE to working on a live battery.” He added: “With the support we have to offer, we are positive that independent garages won’t just keep pace with the transition from ICE to EVs, but thrive and prosper due to the many opportunities that the change provides.” Capitalise The number of electric vehicles on the road is increasing and is opening new opportunities for traditional garages, as well as for traditional bodyshops as well as EV-only bodyshops. Martin Pinnell-Brown, Technical Director of Repairify, commented: “To capitalise on the demand for work on electric vehicles, businesses are putting aside capital to invest in skilled staff and technical training and the correct protective and servicing equipment. “We know that the technology within vehicles is going to evolve, and so will the job requirements and the skills and knowledge needed to complete them. This will see businesses look for the relevant training whether that is PLUG INTO TOMORROW, TODAY