Currently, there are nearly 59,000 garage technicians in the UK who are qualified to work on electric vehicles (EVs). However, the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) warns that we may face a shortage of about 3,000 EV-trained technicians by 2030. With the anticipated increase in EVs on the road, this shortfall could grow to 16,000 by 2035 unless training efforts are significantly ramped up.
The planned ban on new petrol and diesel cars is set for 2035, but the Labour Government has pledged to reinstate the earlier 2030 deadline, pending election outcomes. Currently, about 24% of workshop staff are accredited by the IMI to work safely on EVs. However, there is significant regional disparity in the availability of qualified technicians. In London and the South East, where 5.9% of cars are plug-in EVs, only 6.1% of technicians are EV-trained. In contrast, the East of England has the highest proportion of EV-trained techs at 9.5%, followed by the West Midlands and Scotland with 8.2% and 7.9%, respectively.
Kevin Finn, Executive Chair of the IMI, notes, “While there has been positive growth in the number of technicians gaining EV certification in 2024, the skills gap persists. With the potential reinstatement of the 2030 ICE ban deadline, it is crucial for automotive businesses to focus on training more technicians to ensure that the increasing number of EV owners can access qualified service providers in their local areas.”
