The number of electric vehicles (EVs) on Canadian roads is growing. About 95 percent of the Canadian vehicle parc remains gasoline-powered, according to 2022 numbers from Statistics Canada, but small waves are starting. In other words, it’s time to decide whether your collision centre will stay current or fade into obsolescence as we stride into the future.
Stay grounded, though. We still have time before EVs claim the bulk of the average bodyshop’s work mix. And Collision Repair mag is here to help you along the way.
According to Mitchell International’s EV collision insights report from February, EV repairable claims frequencies rose to 2.26 percent in Canada during Q4 2022. Of the EV repairable claims processed through Mitchell in Q4 2022, 45 percent were Tesla Model 3s; 17 percent were Model Ys. Nissan Leafs, Hyundai Kona EVs and Chevy Bolts claimed the remaining 38 percent. So, the numbers are rising. More EVs on Canadian roads, more EVs in Canadian repair bays. But who is equipped to repair these vehicles?
The shops proudly bearing certification seals like Tesla, yes; but those facilities are still found few and far between in most corners of Canada. Our editorial team ran a survey in February 2023, asking readers whether they felt prepared or supported for the incoming onslaught of EVs. As we expected, were heard many nos.
In the news-in-brief section of this magazine, you’ll read that Teslas are often sent to salvage at severely premature rates. In a compilation of 120 Model Y vehicles (2022 and 2023 models) found on salvage auction listings, the “vast majority” had less than 160,000 kilometres clocked, Reuters reported in February 2023. In our current state, it’s cheaper to send an often-repairable vehicle to the auctions. There are plenty of reasons why this isn’t right—but most importantly, we’re leaving big dollars on the table.
You’ll see in the later pages of this book that one of the biggest obstacles in a collision centres’ ability to repair EVs is cost. The cost of training, the cost of specialized tools, the cost in subscriptions to specialized procedures, the cost of space on the repair floor. Cost in money, cost in time. Cost, cost, cost. If you haven’t caught on…this isn’t breaking news. Plenty of the challenges noted by readers of our magazine revolve around fair pay and the ever rising of being a credible collision repairer.
To truly prepare for the future of our industry— the future of repairs—we all need to understand EVs, and the niche skills takes to properly repair them. This is not a project that can simply be forwarded to the next person in your chain of command. This is serious business. And it needs to start now.
That’s why Media Matters and Collision Repair magazine are launching our exciting Keep Current EV Collision Repair Tour, along with our new annual publication, EV Repair magazine; a Special Edition print publication of Collision Repair’s Guide to Electric Vehicles a complementary website, and a new bi-weekly e-zine addressing the situation. The Keep Current EV Collision Repair Tour will bring expert speakers to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities involved in repairing EVs. Attendees will also see a dismantled display EV, giving them a 3D model of the car’s components. We’ll be parading this package across Canada, with stops in five major cities. It’s bound to be electrifying! We want you there—visit evrepairmag.com/keep-current-tour or contact james@mediamatters.ca.
Join us in increasing your knowledge and familiarity with EVs. Together, we can ensure that collision repair shops are properly equipped to handle the repair of these advanced vehicles.
