A new campaign from Garage Services Online aims to help independent garages capitalise on the growing hybrid and electric vehicle (EV) market.
The EV Edge initiative aims to help independent garages that have invested in EV skills and equipment become the go-to choice for the MOT, servicing and repairs of hybrid and EVs.
“With the number of EVs on our roads continuing to grow, many workshops are recognising the crucial need to invest in EV training and equipment,” said Jim Lang, Managing Director at Garage Services Online.
“However, to truly capitalise on this burgeoning market, it is essential that garages also focus on effectively marketing their EV capabilities. Investing in training is just the beginning, garages must also ensure that potential customers know about their EV expertise.”
Right timing for EV Edge?
The launch of EV Edge comes at a time when registrations of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) have slowed. However, they remain the second most-popular powertrain in monthly figures released by the SMMT. In addition, deliveries of hybrid models continue to grow.
A total of 218,199 electrified vehicles, made up of BEVs, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and full hybrids, were registered in 2020. By the end of 2023, this had increased by 143.7%, with 644,940 deliveries. This meant that by the end of the year, there were 2.7 million electrified vehicles on UK roads, according to SMMT car parc figures.
The EV market has been driven by uptake in the fleet sector since the recovery from the supply-chain crisis in 2022. With fleets most likely to trade their vehicles after three years, rather than face expensive servicing and repair bills at MOT time, this means next year will start to see an influx of hybrid and EV models into the used-car market.
A GiPA report in 2021 found that 57% of EV drivers change their garage, seeking out an EV specialist instead. In addition, second-hand cars have no ties with a franchised dealer network. With more buyers perhaps tempted to enter the world of EVs through an increased second-hand supply, EV Edge will give those advertising their expertise a boost.
“These numbers become especially important for garages when EVs come of MOT age at three years old,” said Lang. “With the demand for workshops capable of working on EVs increasing, now is the perfect time for garages to position themselves as a hybrid and EV specialist.”
Helping hand
Garage Services Online promises to help workshops gain a competitive standing through EV Edge. They will do this by improving their search engine rankings for keywords related to the hybrid and EV work they want, boosting organic lead generation and attracting more customers.
For a limited time, garages that sign up for an EV Edge Garage Services Online website will get an 18-month subscription for the price of just 12 monthly payments. The offer, which includes six months free, provides workshops with extended support and increased visibility to local EV owners without any additional cost.
For further information about the Garage Services Online EV Edge campaign and how it can boost the number of hybrid and EV jobs in your workshop, garages are advised to register their interest at ev-edge.co.uk.
