Is Australia ready to deal with an EV boom?

Recently, Prime Minister Scott Morrison shared that Australian motorists will own and drive 1.7 million zero and low emissions vehicles (ZLEVs) by 2030. But according to VACC, these plans are at risk of being derailed by a severe shortage of skilled technicians. 

The numbers indicate that currently 25,000 electric vehicles in Australia are serviced and maintained by around 500 qualified ZLEV technicians. 

VACC stated, “Australia is far from ready to deal with an EV boom”. It further adds that if the country is to support close to two million electric vehicles, then it will need to train up to 7300 new ZLEV technicians before the end of the decade.

VACC CEO Geoff Gwilym said, "Australia will only have 17.5 per cent of the required number of ZLEV technicians by 2030, and that based on trend growth in ZLEV technicians to date, there will be a deficit of over 6000 qualified service personnel by the required deadline."

The need to boost skilling 

The chamber emphasizes that while the plan looks good for the economy, there is a major oversight in the federal government’s plan.

“The federal government may achieve the target of 1.7 million zero and low emission vehicles on-road by 2030, but who’s going to service those vehicles?” Gwilym added.

To meet the numbers and tackle EV boom Australian government needs to push its skilling efforts to train more people. Otherwise, without trained electric vehicle technicians, the planned EV sales boom will not have enough people qualified to maintain them.