National Accident Repair Group Are Ready For The Electric Charge

The race for electric vehicles has certainly started, with two core catalysts for the change. First, people’s and companies’ commitment to protecting the environment, as well as looking for cheaper, sustainable driving options. Second, the UK government’s target for zero-emission vehicles by 2035. With these points in mind, National are already putting measures into place to support our clients and their customers in the EV revolution.

What Are The UK Government’s EV Targets?

The UK government has extended their original roadmap to support families and manufacturers switching from diesel or petrol to electric. As of January 2024, the Government’s projection for electric vehicles consists of:

  • 80% of new cars sold to be zero emissions by 2030
  • 70% of new vans sold to be zero emissions by 2030
  • By 2035, all new cars and vans sold will have zero emissions
  • 300,000 EV charge-points by 2030

Responding To EV Sales

You would have noticed the increase in electric chargers and dedicated charging spaces appearing in car parks, service stations, and supermarkets. Perhaps you’ve seen cars plugged into homes or taxis and buses running fully electric. At National, we keep an eye on industry insights and have seen a considerable increase in sales for Hybrid (HEV), Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV).

More electric vehicles on the road mean more EV repairers are required for specialised services, MOTs or repairs. By keeping up-to-date with these stats, we can put essential processes in place to help our EV customers. This includes partnering with EV repair centres and ensuring their technicians are fully qualified.

Supporting EV Fleets

Electric vehicle sales within the Fleet market are also rapidly growing, with over 1-in-4 ordered vehicles being pure electric (BEV) or Benefit-in-kind (BIK). Not only do these offer tax relief for businesses, but with the increase of nationwide charging points, companies are now more relaxed about drivers reaching deadlines.

Expanding Our Network

Along with the government targets, many manufacturers have set out their own ambitions to invest in the electric vehicle industry. With more brands extending their EV offering, they’re providing a broader and more affordable option for users, resulting in increased retail sales. This, in turn, means we need to ensure our trusted network of repair centres not only has the capabilities to work on various brands but they also have the capacity and facilities to do so.

At National Accident Repair Group, we’re committed to ensuring our network of repairers can provide our clients with UK cover for these specialist vehicles. We already have 183 locations with either IMI, City & Guilds level 3, or Manufacturer qualifications for high-voltage vehicle repairs. This means we can provide our clients with a full UK postcode cover and a great customer experience.

Our EV Commitment

To fulfil our EV commitment, National works with Thatcham Research to offer our network a comprehensive training program to make all staff ‘high voltage aware’. Thatcham Research is dedicated to understanding the opportunities and risks associated with new vehicle technology, and together, we believe we can make a difference in the EV repair industry.

Dean Lander, head of repair services at Thatcham Research, comments:

“We recognise the immense challenges facing repair networks with the growth of electric vehicles and are working closely with the industry to develop guidance, awareness and training on managing and repairing EVs. It is great to see this commitment by National to develop a repair network with trained and qualified technicians that will ensure both the safety of technicians and safe and effective repairs.”

Malcolm Banner, National’s MD, commented:

“National has an ongoing commitment to our clients to provide a comprehensive service level, ensuring all customers receive a first-class service. National, along with Thatcham, will offer our network a comprehensive training program ensuring that all staff are high voltage aware. National’s Intelligent Deployment System (IDS) has the ability to identify and deploy these vehicles to the appropriate repair site.”

With innovative and positive actions already in place, National is ready to lead the way in electric vehicle repairs, investing significantly in this area of repair expertise.