Electromobility in the workshop of the future: Are service centers really ready for electric vehicles?

In issue 21 of the industry magazine "Karoseria," an article by the President of EVSolutions, Mateusz Gawroniuk, was published, dedicated to the transformation of the market for accident repairs and bodywork-painting in light of the dynamic development of electromobility. The publication thoroughly analyzes the operational and technological challenges faced by body shops in the context of servicing vehicles with high voltage (HV) systems.

The new reality of accident repairs: HV systems and battery risks

According to market analyses, in the coming years, most traffic accidents handled by professional services will involve cars equipped with high voltage systems and advanced energy storage systems.

In many workshops, a damaged electric vehicle is still treated the same as a combustion vehicle. This is a cardinal organizational mistake. Even seemingly minor mechanical damage to a Li-Ion battery can trigger the phenomenon of delayed thermal runaway, which can occur many hours or even days after a collision. This means that the service's responsibility does not end upon handing over the car, but begins the moment the vehicle enters the workshop.

Three pillars of safety: People, Processes, Technology

A modern workshop does not build its advantage merely by purchasing specialized equipment. An effective and safe operating model is based on three integrated pillars:

• People:Even the most advanced equipment will not ensure protection without qualified personnel. The key is regular upskilling of mechanics and bodyworkers in the construction of HV systems and the risks associated with lithium-ion cells.

• Processes:The foundation of safety is precisely documented procedures that limit the risk of human error. Standards cover the entire vehicle path: initial battery assessment upon acceptance, safe disconnection of HV systems, delineation of repair zones, and the organization of a supervised quarantine area.

• Technology:Certified technical and preventive measures effectively minimize the risk of fire spread in emergency situations. These include advanced fire containment sheets S-TYPE and mobile quarantine stations ecell-guard CARPORT, which protect the hall and infrastructure from flames and thermal radiation.

Standards for every service: cooperation with PSNSM

Technological transformation affects the entire automotive market. Together with the Polish Association of Independent Automotive Services (PSNSM), we are implementing projects and establishing uniform EV safety standards not only in authorized service stations (ASO) but also in independent workshops across Poland. The safety of personnel and the protection of infrastructure must be available to every professional accident repair point.

Practice over theory: comprehensive training by EVSolutions

In response to market needs, EVSolutions conducts a two-module training program aimed at accident repair centers:

• Module I – Electromobility and battery safety:Construction of high voltage installations, identification of battery damage, verification of voltage absence, and organization of safe workstations.

• Module II – Safety procedures, evacuation, and practical actions:Practical emergency scenarios, thermal insulation of vehicles after a collision, organization of quarantine, and rescue procedures using technical insulating sheets.

Exercises take place on real electric vehicles, allowing workshop teams to immediately apply the acquired knowledge to their daily service practice.

"The greatest threat in electromobility is not the technology itself, but the lack of organizational preparedness to work with it."