The electric car debate is ramping up, with several recent announcements around the number of cars owned, electric vs petrol/diesel, maintenance and repairs, and how our infrastructures can adapt to boost the take-up of EV vehicles.

Numerous brands are announcing which models will evolve into electric or hybrid cars. For example, Groupe PSA pledged their Peugeot Expert, Citroen Dispatch, and Vauxhall Vivaro will be available in all-electric variants, with all new models launched offering all-electric and/or plug-in hybrids. PSA has made significant steps to becoming all-electric and is still on track to have all passenger cars and LCVs electrified by 2025.

So, what does this all mean for the accident repair industry?

With more and more brands providing electric or hybrid options, we must be prepared for its impact on the entire repair cycle. Motor repair claims are already a competitive market, and at National, we work tirelessly to keep pushing solutions from improving the customer experience to software and technology continually bettering the process. With the vast array of brands and age ranges of cars on the roads, and as more auto brands follow suit of PSA, repair centres need to be ready for anything that comes through the door.

How are National supporting EV repair claims?

We understand how quickly this technology is evolving and being implemented across the motor industry. We have quickly enhanced the knowledge and experience of our trusted network, with over 300 repair centres fully equipped with electric and hybrid capabilities. With strict minimum standards in place for technicians, repairers that offer EV services must have level 2 electric vehicles and ATA qualifications in order to work on these vehicles.

The Benefits

By doing this, National is able to extend electric and hybrid repair services to their insurer clients, too, further expanding their reach and with the unique position of being able to deploy a job to any postcode and repair centre across the UK. Customer experience is kept positive, cycle times are kept down, and overall disruption is reduced, regardless of the type of engine involved.