Alternative power presents next challenge to repairers

Hybrid vehicles, all-electric vehicles, hydrogen-run vehicles; they are all being talked about, and being planned for release to the motoring public.

More and more research is being done to produce a vehicle that reduces its impact on the environment and the prospect of a car run on hydrogen offers the environmental lobby the purest of answers to pollution.

While converting to this type of fuel will involve huge changes in the infrastructure associated with “filling the tank”, what will happen for those who have to repair damaged vehicles to manufacturers’ standards?

UK’s Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association director general, Malcolm Tagg (pictured), looks at what repairers might face when these vehicels and their alternate fuel sources hit repairer shops.

“There is little doubt that the future is in alternative forms of energy to power our vehicles and in the interim a range of part way solutions is evolving,” Tagg said.

“Leaving aside for the moment power-trains, we anticipate an increasing move towards the use of composite materials for main chassis and body members together with lightweight and easily replaceable panels and what we might term cosmetic sections of bodywork and trim.

“Whilst these are still relatively new and infant concepts today, we envisage our members, who are all highly skilled and trained technicians, being able to adapt to them relatively easily, albeit with the requirement for some training as and when launches occur.

“What is particularly necessary is that manufacturers speak openly with the aftermarket to identify what is coming along so that repair solutions are in place ready for new vehicle launches.

“Repairers may have to learn and understand, for example, how to bond carbon fibre to high strength thin film aluminium instead of bonding various grades of steel together.”

Regarding the new power plants, it is a fact that this represents a whole new field of enterprise where much re-training and education will be necessary especially in the area of vehicle electrics which can so easily be affected by accident damage, according to Tagg.

“Knowledge is key and with battery power increasing there are health and safety issues to be recognised – it’s not just a case of detatching a wire,” he said.

“Should any of this be doubted think back to some of the significant changes already accommodated by the vehicle repair industry without trauma.

“Aluminium chassis, air bags, anti-lock brakes and traction control have all been introduced into motor vehicle manufacture with a host of modern construction materials and new bonding techniques within recent memory and the repairers have adjusted to the changing requirements so satisfactorily that such change is now taken for granted,” he said.

Source: Honest John motoring column in The Daily Telegraph, UK