Skills Gap Threatens UK’s Switch to Electric Vehicles

The lack of electric vehicle technicians, identified by Institute of the Motor Industry this week, will inhibit the uptake of cleaner electric vehicles as operators will not have the confidence their fleets will be maintained, says business group Logistics UK. Commenting on the news that only one in four UK technicians is qualified to work on electric vehicles, Arthur Gribbin Engineering Policy Lead said:

"Every minute a vehicle is off the road costs operators money, and commercial viability is the overriding factor that influences an organisations' decision to invest in electric vehicles. Anything that introduces doubt that operational requirements and customers' needs will not be met using an electric fleet means operators will take the only financially viable decision: wait until these doubts are removed.

"If the government is serious about meeting its decarbonisation objectives, it needs to create an environment that makes switching to electric vehicles an easy win. This means investing in charging infrastructure so logistics operators have access to the power they need both now and, in the future, but also investing in the skills that allows operators to keep their vehicles on the road."

Logistics UK is one of the UK's biggest business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With decarbonisation, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, water and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods. For more information about the organisation and its work, please visit logistics.org.uk