The company currently sells two EVs and it wants to become entirely electric by 2030
There are differences between the maintenance and repair operations of gasoline and electric vehicles
The training center will be located on the premises of the company’s headquarters in New Jersey
Volvo announced it will open a new training center dedicated to electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in order to better train its technicians from all around the United States on these types of vehicles.
Automakers all have factory-approved training centers they use to teach dealer technicians how to repair and service their models will all of the correct procedures.
Since electric vehicles are becoming more prevalent and gasoline-powered vehicles are still a few years away from retirement, technicians have to be trained on both types of vehicles.
This is why Volvo decided to open a new training center dedicated to electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles at its New-Jersey-based North American headquarters.
This facility will provide specialized training on the particularities of EVs and hybrid vehicles and the differences in their maintenance versus conventional vehicles powered by combustion engines. The building will be divided into two parts: a classroom for textbook learning and a workshop where technicians will be able to put their new knowledge to the test by working on test vehicles.
This will help the automaker achieve its goal of selling only electric vehicles by the end of the current decade.
In addition to the new building, Volvo will modernize its entire headquarters by adding 50 electric car chargers that will be partially powered by a 15-kW array of solar panels.
Dealerships are already getting ready for the push in EV maintenance needs.
“We have been ramping up our EV maintenance skills and facilities over the years. Volvo started the shift electrification early and we have been expanding our after-sales offering accordingly since”, says a service advisor at Volvo Cars of Mississauga.
One Volvo dealer in Quebec sees an even greater opportunity. “If we can become a leader in EV maintenance, we can help not only Volvo owners, but electric vehicle owners overall. There’s incentive to be the best when it comes to electric vehicle after-sales services”, says a service manager at Volvo of Quebec.
These measures and a few others will likely make the facilities eligible for a LEED Gold certification, an award given to cost-saving green buildings.
