The Future is Electric & Castle will be ready for it!
As sales of Electric Vehicles rise in the UK, trust your EV repairs to the specialists who know it best.
According to preliminary statistics released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 2020 saw the biggest decline in new car sales since 1992. Hardly surprising considering the lengthy periods of national lockdown seeing the closure of dealerships due to the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the new ‘click and collect’ methods introduced towards the latter end of the year, this sales decline has been recognised as the largest slump in 28 years. On the flip side, the sale of Electric and Hybrid vehicles is a growing area in the market.
As published by Autocar this January:
“UK car registrations fell by around 29.4 percent in the UK last year, with the 1.63 million cars sold the lowest total since 1992 as the industry was hit hard by the effects of Covid-19 lockdowns. But sales of both electric cars and plug-in hybrids both rose sharply, with plug-in cars now accounting for more than 10 percent of UK sales”
Analysis: 2020 UK car sales hit 28-year low, EV market grows rapidly
All hail the new future. It’s most certainly here and it’s electric!
Reflective of this public demand, manufactures have been keen to supply, resulting in an ever-increasing range of state-of-the-art EV models being launched across the leading manufacturers.
This growing market equally comes in response to the UK Government’s “bringing forward the date for phasing out petrol and diesel cars and vans (including hybrids) from 2040 to 2035 or earlier”, in line with the Committee for Climate Change’s suggestions. Backed by environmental damage offsetting tax exemption schemes, more than just helping the environment, buying the likes of a TESLA is becoming a savvy economic investment.
The challenges of EV for body repair shops
Whilst easier to run than their petrol or diesel counterparts, increasing sophisticated technology under the proverbial bonnet means that when it comes to repairs, these vehicles are not only much more complicated but pose a greater risk to a non-trained technician. The higher voltage running through these types of cars is comparable to that of a train line, which could not only cause grave consequences for the worker but handled incorrectly could result in irreparable damage to the vehicle. It is vital to understanding how and when to isolate the high voltage system on EV and hybrids. It takes skill and knowledge to reinstate this system once the repairs are complete.
Castle are fully committed to carrying out EV repairs
Working together with our Approved Manufacturers, Castle have an ongoing training program to enable us to continue to meet the demands for your vehicle.
John Lopes, General Manager extrapolates.
“EV is certainly the future direction of the motor industry. As part of this sector, we need to be fully aware of how to safely reinstate these new vehicles back to their pre-accident condition for our customers and staff alike. It is important that the relevant technicians are equipped with the knowledge and tools to do so. Castle Coachworks are committed to the continual investment in this training for the future.”