AAAA News

As the AAAA continues to advocate for the industry on the subject of EVs, groundbreaking new research has shown fifty percent of Australian workshops are either already EV-ready or actively investing in skills and equipment with a future focus.

At the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) we were proud recently to release, together with research partners Fifth Quadrant, our Australia-first 2023 Future Readiness Index research.
This is the first ever research of its type, commissioned to determine if Australian workshops are effectively preparing for upcoming market changes and to measure their stance on technological advancements.

It will not be news to readers of this column that our industry has long been dealing with assumptions around our EV readiness, misunderstandings about our attitudes towards EVs, and questions around what kind of regulation or oversight is needed.

What this research shows is that a large portion of our industry’s workshops, fifty percent in fact, are either already EV-ready (one in 10) or already investing heavily in future readiness, prioritising skills and equipment to create a safe and productive working environment.

In fact, many of these workshops are already successfully and safely servicing and repairing EV and hybrid vehicles, and have been doing so for over a decade.

And importantly, the majority of those that aren’t actively investing right now (39 percent) are not ‘EV rejectors,’ instead they are simply waiting until it makes more commercial sense in their specific local markets to make such investments, which is completely understandable given that current trend rates expect Australia’s national fleet will still be comprised of 90 percent ICE vehicles in 2030, even if sales of EVs in 2030 reach as high as 50 percent.

Together this sees 50 percent of our market either Future Ready or actively preparing, and a further 39 percent open to upskilling and investing in equipment for newer models when their local market demands it.

Clearly, our workshops are ready to be, and in a lot of cases already are, the trusted partner for EV and hybrid owners Australia-wide. There is no question we have the knowledge, the skills, the equipment, and a proven track record; and this is all only going to increase as more and more workshops invest in this area.

Before now, no one had a sense for how much workshops were gearing up for EV, as no one had this data. But now we do, and it proves what we have been saying – we are a sophisticated industry, one that is highly skilled, equipped and future-focused.

Further, the data backs our assertions that automotive technicians are the right choice when it comes to who should be servicing and repairing EVs and not only are we ready, but we are also only going to become increasingly more so.

This is important when it comes to our dealings with government and any questions that may be raised about regulation and oversight.

While we of course welcome government assistance and there are certainly areas the AAAA wants to work on with our government partners, this research makes it clearer than ever that any calls for introducing regulation on something we are already doing safely and successfully, and any pushes for members of other industries (such as electricians) to be tasked with servicing and repairing cars, are not required.

It also means any judgements of the auto industry as being behind the times or out of touch with what is coming is an unwarranted stereotype as we in the industry already knew – our workshops and their technicians are experts in their field, constantly learning and investing in skills and tools, and ideally placed to continue servicing EVs and hybrids, as they have been for many years.

Of course, no industry is homogenous and Australia’s car parc is deeply varied, so it good news also that while there is a large focus on EVs and hybrid readiness, some workshops also remain committed and focused on ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) servicing and repair, ensuring all customers can access expert servicing and repair for their car, no matter what it is.

With a massive number of ICE vehicles in our car parc, it is important workshops continue to service these vehicles, and this research shows many of our workshops are still placing a focus on the safety and emissions of our existing ICE vehicles at the same time as they are preparing for the future.

The online survey which formed the basis of this research, and which will be repeated in the future, was conducted across July and August 2023, surveying automotive workshop decision makers spanning a range of different business sizes amongst not only AAAA members but also the wider automotive industry across the country. A sincere thank you to all of you who took part in this vitally important research.

Rest assured – we will be taking up all opportunities to use this new data as we continue to advocate for our industry amidst this incredible period of change in our industry.
The full research findings are available exclusively to AAAA members via the AAAA member portal.

Non-members can access a free Summary report or purchase the full report at www.aaaa.com.au