There is an urgent need for automotive technicians to train in the repair and maintenance of electric vehicles (EVs), as the number of models on the roads increases.
The latest EV TechSafe Technician Forecast from the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) underlines the urgent need for change to keep the workforce and road users safe as vehicles become more complex.
While more new EVs hit UK roads, just 35% of technicians are qualified to carry out EV servicing. With the government mandating an increase in electric sales in the years ahead, the concern of the gap widening between cars on the road and those able to repair them is increasing.
The Techsafe Technician Forecast found that 2,792 technicians gained an EV qualification in the final three months of 2025. This was 6% higher than in the third quarter of the year, but 17% lower compared to the same period in 2024.
TechSafe forecasts possible trouble ahead
In total, 74,734 technicians are qualified to work on EVs, equating to 35% of the workforce, the TechSafe report found. The IMI expects around 2,394 new certifications in the first quarter of this year, to add to the overall numbers.
But the TechSafe report also highlighted that projected demand could exceed supply by more than 43,000 technicians by 2035.
The IMI is continuing to call on the government to mandate IMI TechSafe to ensure both the automotive workforce and UK road users remain safe. While it’s already recognised as the practical mechanism to audit workforce competence, it could, therefore, be the right solution to help government, industry and the public manage the risks and opportunities of new vehicle technologies.
In a recent panel discussion the IMI hosted for industry leaders, attended by the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, the future of automotive workforce safety was debated.
The meeting unanimously agreed that increasingly technologically complex vehicles demand government action to ensure the people maintaining, repairing, diagnosing and recovering them are competent to do so. The IMI TechSafe standard was identified as the best mechanism to deliver this with the IMI calling on government to mandate its use across four rapidly evolving areas of the automotive sector.
“EV technician numbers are still rising, but at a comparatively slower rate year-on-year, and not quickly enough to meet projected demand,” commented Emma Carrigy, Head of Research and Public Affairs at the IMI. “Without a faster increase in training uptake, there is a very serious risk that technician availability will become a barrier to EV adoption, slowing the UK’s transition zero emissions.
“Pressure on technician capacity is already increasing and there is now a very limited window in which to expand training, support employers and encourage more technicians to enter EV repair and maintenance roles.”
Continued growth
IMI forecasts in the TechSafe report predict continued growth in EV certification over the next decade, with the number of EV-qualified technicians projected to reach around 137,000 by 2032 and 193,000 by 2035.
However, projected demand continues to rise at a faster rate. The gap between technician supply and demand increases sharply from the early 2030s, with shortages beginning in 2033 and growing year by year. By 2035, the projected shortfall rises to more than 43,000 technicians.
“Unless this qualification trajectory changes dramatically, there will be a dangerous skills shortfall in just five years, just in time for the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles to be phased out,” Carrigy, continued. “This data underlines the urgency for a solution to ensure both the automotive workforce and UK road users remain safe.”
The UK government is currently mandating that by 2030, registrations of zero-emission vehicles must make up 80% of the yearly total. This target is increasing each year to that point, while by 2035, EVs must count for 100% of new-car deliveries.
Yet while the market is falling behind these targets, there has been serious growth in EV registrations. Last year, all-electric new-car registrations grew 23.9%, while after five months of 2026, they are up 24.3%, despite a slow start to the year.
Whether the market meets its targets or not, with two million EVs on the roads at present, and more being added each month, the need for EV qualified technicians is proving vital to keep the industry moving forward.
