EV mechanics shortage.

The problems with EVs are generally the car bits, not the electric bits. Normal mechanics only need to give orange cables as much care and respect as airbag systems (ie leave them alone) and they're fine.
It's when the electrical/IT/battery bits go wrong that mechanics with EV-specific skills are needed.
 
Geek said:
Somewhere I used to have a can of Duckhams, handy for whenever I wanted to see 2050.
Times change: my car takes 0W20 oil.
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But do you understand what the 20/50 or others meen and what deturgents do in oil never mind the long chain polymers, answers on a post card. 😂
 
izwozral said:
With only around 26% of mechanics who are trained to work on EV's, are we ready for 2030 when fossil fuel cars, vans or possibly campers will no longer be made?
There is also a shortage in supply of lithium and graphite for EV batteries.
Combined with the current difficulties of obtaining fossil fuel, with no end in sight, will this impact on our passion for mhing?

Personally, I will be amazed to see 2030 so it doesn't overly concern me. For the more virile younger members, 2030 and beyond could be quite a challenge.
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Sodium-ion are now in mainstream production, they are cheap to produce, making lithium less desirable

nuclear batteries. A Battery That Could Power the Future — for 50 Years. China has begun mass production of nuclear batteries and they're smaller than a coin. They need no charging, no sunlight, no wires, and no maintenance. Just pure, continuous energy for up to five decades.
 
izwozral said:
Looks like AI has a different on the lithium , graphite availability issue.

Graphite is the most heavily demanded mineral in lithium-ion batteries, making up over half of their total mineral requirement. However, global availability is currently extremely constrained due to China controlling approximately 95% of the refined anode supply and placing stringent export permit restrictions on both raw materials and manufacturing furnaces. [1, 2]
Due to the heavy reliance on imported graphite, supply chain availability is facing several major pressures:
  • Geopolitical Chokepoints: Export controls implemented by Beijing have caused severe supply tightness for battery-grade natural and synthetic graphite. Western countries are currently enforcing heavy tariffs on Chinese graphite, further restricting the immediate availability of affordable supply.
  • The Lithium Connection: Rather than the battery metals like lithium, graphite is viewed by industry analysts as the true bottleneck in the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain, with demand outstripping new mining developments.
  • UK and European Localization: To avoid heavy dependence on foreign supply chains, the UK and EU are actively investing in domestic battery recycling. For instance, companies like Altilium are scaling up EV battery recycling in the UK to recover critical minerals like graphite and reduce import reliance.
  • Emerging Alternatives: To counter shortages, alternative materials are being developed. Companies are scaling up synthetic graphite production and pioneering substitutes—such as utilizing lignin from the paper industry—to create more accessible, locally sourced anode materials. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]

Again AI has a different viewpoint regarding trained mechanics.

The UK has a massive shortage of qualified EV mechanics. While electric vehicles (EVs) require less routine maintenance, their high-voltage systems demand specialized skills. The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) estimates that less than a quarter of the automotive workforce is certified to safely repair EVs. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Key factors driving the shortage:
  • The Skills Gap: Over 75% of current vehicle technicians lack the qualifications to service electric and hybrid cars. Working on high-voltage batteries requires certified electrical training.
  • Rapid EV Adoption: The rising number of EVs on the road is outpacing the availability of trained technicians, creating localized "critical bottlenecks" and long repair wait times.
  • Training Challenges: Traditional mechanics need formal, accredited training to transition, as "on-the-job" learning is dangerous. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Of course, AI could be talking through it's backside, maybe, maybe not?
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And that's why I call it Artificial Ignorance. Or maybe more like the person reading it needs to know what it's actually saying.
There is no shortage of materials, that's why the price of Lithium batteries is at a historic low, China however is trying to restrict refined materials being exported, what does AI tell you about the UK being a major exporter of the raw materials used to make Graphite?
As for mechanics, less than 10% of cars on the road are EV's yet 25% of mechanics are qualified to work on the HV side, the non HV side can be worked on by anyone, and as I posted getting trained to work on the HV side is not arduous or take very long for a trained mechanic.
And for Trev, the major battery producers are easing off research on Sodium for EV's, it is useful for very cold climates, and for static storage, but with Lithium now so cheap it's difficult to make a economic case for use in EV's unless the energy density can be improved, they are still going ahead with releasing model using Sodium, but it's unlikely to become mainstream.
 
This depressing thread is part of why we bought a deisel powered gas guzzling monster truck and camper so we can go exploring and having fun in our early retirement WHILE WE CAN. and why I own a 53 year old British sports car as my summer fun car. Again while we can.

The depressing reality is when we get to our dotage, we will not be doing much not going many places and what little travelling we do will be in expensive electric shopping trolleys.

By then we might be living out our twilight years bumbling around on a narrowboat, if we can find any diesel to keep it going.
 
ProDave said:
This depressing thread is part of why we bought a deisel powered gas guzzling monster truck and camper so we can go exploring and having fun in our early retirement WHILE WE CAN. and why I own a 53 year old British sports car as my summer fun car. Again while we can.

The depressing reality is when we get to our dotage, we will not be doing much not going many places and what little travelling we do will be in expensive electric shopping trolleys.

By then we might be living out our twilight years bumbling around on a narrowboat, if we can find any diesel to keep it going.
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And then the care home at the end.
 
😂
clarkson.jpg
 
It amazes me the amount of rubbish still spoken about EVs it’s just another fuel source no more than that.

I’m a petrol head through and through (love motorsport, and used to race myself) and my daily drive for 3 years has been an EV I’ve heard all the rubbish about range etc. I’ve been to Poland in it and not had an issue.

I have a home in Northamptonshire and another in the Highlands and have to stop and fill up in my Diesel 4x4 or the EV the EV takes a little longer than the Diesel, but not really with the Diesel after about 180-240 miles I stop have a pee and coffee etc then fill with diesel as I leave, with the EV I plug in, then go and have a pee and coffee and go back to a 80% charge (100% if I have a long leg next)

The big difference is I pay for the diesel every mile I drive, whereas the EV is mainly either free from home solar or in the winter if there’s no sun about 2p per mile.

As has been said the mechanical side is looked after by the dealerships general fitters, only high voltage issues need a trained technician. Such issues are very rare mind, and as EV usage increases more technicians will be trained same as any other technology.

If just ordered a 4x4 EV, it has adjustable suspension to increase clearance off road and a 503 mile range, so no more diesel 4x4 next year, and unlike the current 4x4 SWMBO is happy parking it, as it basically does so itself (as long as she keeps the sensors clean)

The only real challenge at the moment is idiots parking petrol/diesel cars in charging bays, but that just means carrying a long charging cable.
 
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