Money from the province has charged up a new electric vehicle maintenance program at Vancouver Island University.
The program and funding falls under the province’s Clean B.C. Go Electric program in partnership with Trades Training B.C., and was announced last week. On Monday, March 21, Bruce Ralston, B.C. minister of energy, mines and low carbon innovation, visited VIU.
The program provides Red Seal automotive technicians with skills needed to work on EVs. Dean Cadieux, VIU chairperson of mechanical programs, said classes in the program will start in January 2023.
“Our instructors will be going to training next week and then we’ll do a pilot program in September and then our actual EV training classes will start in January,” Cadieux said. “It’s really exciting because we know that this is the future and it’s great that the provincial government and VIU are very proactive in getting onboard with the training and the technology.”
The province provided about $165,000 for VIU to get the program started, train instructors and build capacity to train students.
“That was fantastic for us because this is such a great opportunity for our students to learn this and be at the edge – not at the back edge, but at the front edge,” said Deborah Saucier, VIU president.
In 2021, 13 per cent of all new cars sold in B.C. were EVs – the largest market share of total vehicle sales in North America – and it’s projected that 90 per cent of all new vehicle sales will be EVs by 2030.
“So we’re seeing an increase ramp right up and because of that we need to provide that training to local technicians and upcoming technicians,” Cadieux said.
Cadieux said the program will evolve from a maintenance training program into an EV repair program. Many systems, such as steering, suspension and braking, are similar between internal combustion engine vehicles and hybrids and electrics, but have some differences when it comes to EV application. There will be a heavy focus on working on EV high-voltage systems for technicians to learn how to work safely on EVs and to ensure repairs and maintenance are done properly for EV owners’ safety.
READ ALSO: Vancouver Island car dealerships see surge in EV interest
Cadieux said dealerships are upgrading their technicians through training programs specific to their vehicles, but there is a growing demand for EV-trained technicians in independent repair shops and for dealerships looking to hire new techs.
Ralston said the province had set a target for 10 per cent of all new vehicles sold to be electric by 2025, but B.C. has exceeded that target three years ahead of schedule because British Columbians are quickly adopting EVs.
“The real challenge right now is getting enough vehicles for people to buy,” Ralston said. “They’re popular and the price of gas also continues to drive people to the electric option.”
The province provides rebates for new EV purchases, but the minister said the province is also looking at a rebate program for used EV buyers too.
“The price of a new EV, they’re not something that everyone can afford and so, increasingly, people are going to want to buy a second-hand one if they can,” he said. “My wife bought a second hand … I think it’s a 2016 Nissan Leaf. The range is a bit shorter, but the price was quite a bit less, so it’s something that people will want to do and we want to encourage that, as well.”
According to the ministry’s website, the British Columbia Institute of Technology launched an EV maintenance training program in 2019. The program was expanded in 2021 to Okanagan College, College of New Caledonia and Camosun College. College of the Rockies and Kwantlen Polytechnic University join VIU in the latest round of the program’s expansion.
READ ALSO: Funding helps promote electric vehicle uptake in B.C.
photos@nanaimobulletin.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter