EVs putting mechanics at risk

The UK’s Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has met with the Department for Transport calling for a change to current regulations, which offer minimal guidance for garage staff working on the latest alternatively-fuelled vehicles (AFVs).

The wiring, motors and batteries in EVs and hybrids typically run at several hundred volts, presenting a significant danger to those working on them.

The IMI says: “untrained ‘have-a-go’ individuals are putting their lives at risk by attempting to repair and maintain Electric and Hybrid Vehicles.”

The organisation, which certifies 100,000 people a year through its training programmes, is calling for a new mandatory professional register to prove mechanics are “competent, skilled and identifiable” to work on hybrids and EVs. This, the IMI says, would: “keep the existing regulations modern and in line with rapid changes to technology within the automotive sector.” 

Steve Nash, the IMI’s chief executive said to AutoExpress: “The risk to health and safety is very real and needs to be addressed with urgency. It is also vital that the regulatory mechanisms are in place to support businesses that will come into contact with these vehicles.”