Of independent repair shops that service battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), 89% have seen an increase in the number of BEVs coming in for service while 87% have seen an increase in HEVs coming in for service, according to IMR Inc., a full-service automotive market research firm.

IMR on July 22 released its latest insights on how battery and hybrid electric vehicle service are affecdting independent repair shops. Between May 3 and June 30, IMR  interviewed 1,000 independent repair shops in the U.S. to gain insight on their service of battery and hybrid electric vehicles and investment in specific tools, equipment and training for technicians to work on these newer vehicle technologies.

Three out of every 100 vehicles (3%) serviced at an average independent repair shop are BEVs while HEVs account for 6% of the vehicles serviced. Shops located in the West (8%) have nearly double the percentage of business from HEVs over shops located in the Midwest (4%). Of shops that service BEVs/HEVs, 70% do not specifically market or advertise that service.

But among all independent repair shops, only 28% of shops have invested in tools and equipment to specifically service BEVs/HEVs while 31% of shops said they had invested in additional/specialized training for technicians, focused on electric or hybrid vehicles. Overall, larger shops (8+ bays) made more investments in tools, equipment and training (49%) than their smaller competitors (26%).

With the increasing market penetration of BEVs/HEVs and rapidly evolving technologies, independent repair shops who service these vehicles recognize the importance of keeping up with current information. 47% of shops reported that their primary supplier provides updates on the latest industry trends regarding BEVs/HEVs, while 53% of shops said theirs does not. 

While 67% of independent repair shops indicate a portion of their business comes from servicing BEVs, more than 55% of shops surveyed believe it will take over 10 years for BEVs/HEVs to affect their business. 13% of shops believe that these vehicle types will never affect their business. Information: automotiveresearch.com.