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Electric vehicles are becoming more popular, with ONS statistics suggesting that over half of motorists aged between 16 and 49 are likely to make the switch from diesel or petrol to electric within the next ten years.

Although this is good news for the environment, electric vehicles require different maintenance and servicing to those of fossil fuel-based engines, meaning the UK’s vehicle industry will need to adapt alongside the transition.

How do electric cars work?

For an electric vehicle to work, it needs to be charged, using energy from the grid. The batteries then create power for the motor to enable the car to run. The time taken to charge an electric vehicle will depend on the make and model of the car as well as the kilowatt rating, but with charging points being installed more frequently across the country and ever-advancing battery technology, this could be less of an issue in the future.

EVs contain a lot less parts than a traditional diesel or petrol engine vehicle because they run solely on electric so there’s no need for components such as an oil filter, for example.

How will car workers need to retrain?

With far fewer parts, those working in the car industry will have less components to put together when assembling an electric vehicle. Whilst welding and cutting is commonplace with fossil fuel cars, electric vehicles require less mechanical construction. Therefore, mechanics could find themselves needing to provide software engineering solutions, rather than building traditional engines.

To be able to meet the future demands of EVs, industry workers will need to focus on delivering IT based technology and developing digital software. This will mean the need for extensive retraining for many workers as well as a focus on digital learning for those entering the field, for example through the use of programming and coding tools such as the BBC micro:bit.

How many jobs could be affected?

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, there could be a loss of around 22,000 jobs if current skills are not transferrable to other digital-based needs in the industry. Specialist jobs are particularly at risk with those working in engine and exhaust manufacturing likely to suffer if they fail to retrain or move into technology or software roles.

Another factor that’s set to affect the traditional motor industry is the lack of factory floor employees needed to produce and assemble electric vehicles.

Whilst there are many challenges ahead for workers in this sector, there are also a great deal of opportunities on the horizon as more and more drivers make the move to EVs and the demand for technological skills increases.

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