South African workshops face a new problem as electric cars arrive

An independent mechanic may know how to fix a car that has been in an accident, but an electric model can require training and equipment the workshop does not have. That is one of the problems facing South Africa’s motor repair industry. The country has a limited number of technicians qualified to work on high-voltage vehicle systems, particularly outside major cities, according to the South African Motor Body Repairers’ Association (SAMBRA).

When a damaged electric or hybrid car arrives, the workshop may need to bring in a specialist before work can begin. If replacement parts also have to be ordered, the owner could wait weeks or longer for the vehicle. For a small repair business, there is a financial decision behind the problem: whether to spend money preparing for this work or continue sending certain jobs elsewhere.

The equipment bill is only part of it

Working on an electric car requires more than the usual mechanical tools. Technicians need to know how to isolate high-voltage systems safely, and some repairs require specialist diagnostic equipment and model-specific technical information. Training takes time and money, too. A workshop owner must pay for the course, arrange cover while an employee is away and decide whether the business will get enough work to justify the expense.

That calculation will differ from one business to another. A repair centre regularly handling newer vehicles may have a reason to invest now. A small workshop that rarely sees an electric car may struggle to make the numbers work. There is also a difference between hybrids and fully electric cars. Both can involve high-voltage systems, but their mechanical and electrical layouts differ. Technicians need training suited to the work they intend to carry out.

Training options are starting to take shape

The Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI) has been working with merSETA and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations to establish formal skills programmes for electric and hybrid vehicle technology. The programmes cover different levels of work, from basic safety awareness to more advanced maintenance and diagnostics. The aim is to give technicians a recognised route into the field rather than leave businesses to rely on informal training.

For independent workshops, access matters as much as the existence of a course. Training needs to be affordable and available to technicians who cannot easily leave their businesses for long periods.

Workshops will have to choose their approach

Not every independent garage needs to become a specialist EV repair centre. Some can handle work within their existing capabilities and refer high-voltage repairs to qualified providers. Others may decide that investing in training and equipment makes sense for their customer base. The decision is becoming more relevant as electric and hybrid vehicles enter the used-car market and move into independent repair networks. A workshop that wants to take on this work needs to know what its technicians are qualified to do, what equipment is missing and how much demand exists among its customers.

For now, the shortage is not just about finding enough trained mechanics. It is also about making specialist skills accessible to the smaller businesses that motorists already rely on to keep their cars on the road.