The minor automotive repair company has taken the bold decision to ensure only fully trained specialists working on behalf of the franchise business will be able to carry out work on electric vehicles.
To enable this, ChipsAway specialists will be required to complete a City & Guilds Level 3 in Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Repair and Replacement course.
With the help of Automotive Training Solutions, ChipsAway has already trained a substantial number of its network and have further training sessions planned throughout 2019.
Tim Harris, ChipsAway managing director, says: “It’s clear to us the direction that the car market is going - and that’s electric.
“Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show that plug-in vehicle registration has grown from around 500 per month in 2014 to 5,000 per month in 2018. It is therefore imperative that we take action to ensure our network are up to speed and ultimately safe when working on hybrid and EVs.”
According to Tim, the Institute of the Motor Industry have already made recommendations to the government as to how work on EVs should be regulated to make sure motor vehicle technicians aren’t endangering themselves by working on electric and hybrid vehicles.
He adds: “We’re certain a ‘licence to practice’ is imminent, so by implementing this training programme we’re not only ensuring we stay ahead of the game in terms of industry standards, but, and even more importantly, we’re ensuring the safety of our network and customers alike.”