Reader reaction to the Facebook post from a popular new-car enthusiast magazine of an EV was predictable, with a majority responding with “laugh react” emojis. Even the blistering performance of the new GMC Hummer pickup was apparently not enough to sway the opinions of these supposed gearheads. Its three motors deliver 1,000 hp and turn the 9,000-lb. hulk into a 1.14 g-generating hot rod, with a 3.1-second 0-60 and 11.6-second quarter mile. It would outright spank any ‘80s or early ‘90s supercars that adorned my college dorm room walls.
Every new technology has its share of teething problems, and EVs are no different. Slow cold-weather charging and reduced range, an immature charging infrastructure, and higher interest rates that discourage buying new vehicles are just some challenges preventing faster adoption. All OEMs have scaled back their previous production projections. Ford is shutting down one of two production shifts in April at its Dearborn, Michigan, plant that builds the F-150 Lightning. But it still expects a sales increase this year for that EV pickup and to build EVs at a rate of 600,000 per year this year.
Despite missed sales projections, that’s still a lot of vehicles.
EVs are not going away, and neither is the commitment to covering them by FenderBender or by the relevant brands in our publishing company, Endeavor Business Media. In addition to our twice-monthly Market Moves: Electric Vehicles E-newsletter, our latest multimedia brand, Plugged-In, includes experts from our brands that are deeply involved in the transition to electric vehicles, from manufacturing to maintenance and repair. Each month, different editors will tackle several pertinent issues. Check it out on LinkedIn.
In Noah Brown’s article this month, he talks with Shop Owner Kye Yeung, president of European Motor Car Works in Costa Mesa, California, one of the founding shops for Tesla, and noted EV expert Dirk Fuchs, owner of Electric Mobility Consulting, on some of what you need to prepare to safely work on them. Whether you can afford to turn them away or not is a business decision based on your current and projected market. But if you decide to repair them, be sure your staff has the training to be safe. Too much is at stake.
