The lack of electric vehicle technicians, highlighted by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) this week, will inhibit the uptake of cleaner electric vehicles as operators will not have the confidence their fleets will be maintained, Logistics UK is warning.
The latest IMI TechSafe data on electric vehicle qualifications has revealed that just one in four technicians were qualified to work on EVs at the end of Q3 2025, with most distributed unevenly across the country and concentrated in the franchise dealer market.
The report also noted that the number of technicians gaining an EV qualification in Q3 dropped nearly 13% compared to Q1 2025.
IMI said it was concerned that the mixed messages on electric motoring from government as well as economic pressures have put the brakes on training.
Emma Carrigy, IMI head of research, policy and inclusion, said: “The latest IMI TechSafe EV forecast suggests that the pace of training is misaligned with current and future demand, and is likely to fall short of what is needed to support the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) targets.
“With our analysis expecting even lower EV certifications for Q4, unless there is a significant acceleration in training, the gap between the number of EV-trained technicians and those required will widen dangerously in the next five to ten years.
“And with training levels varying significantly between employers and regions, with independent workshops often less able to invest ahead of demand, there is a strong risk of a postcode lottery as the second-hand EV market grows.”
Commenting on the IMI research, Arthur Gribbin, Logistics UK 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.”
