A global shortage of technicians is spelling trouble for EVs: A shortage in technicians and independent repair shops globally could put the EV industry in jeopardy due to increased repair and warranty costs for drivers, Reuters reports. Technician training organizations, warranty providers, and repairers see independent repair shops as necessary to make EVs affordable due to their cheap services in comparison with franchise dealerships. Some garage owners resist training and equipment costs to fix high-voltage EVs due to risks that could kill unskilled technicians in seconds. Others believe that the risk of EV fires should also be taken into consideration. Some are also opposed to spending thousands of EUR on necessary equipment for repairs when EV sales and related infrastructure networks remain relatively low.

Some are trying to jump in: Some carmakers, including EV giant Tesla, have launched courses at US community colleges to provide training for future technicians, the newswire notes, as well as providing EV training for independent repair shops. The Siemens Foundation has also announced a USD 30 mn program to train technicians in the US to install and maintain EV chargers.

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