Automotive Research Bulletin – February 2026
TL;DR:1 As electric vehicles (EVs) age out of warranty, demand for an EV-capable workforce is rising, prompting governments to consider EV licensing. EV licensing, if not adequately informed by industry voice and in a proportionate manner, will result in supply bottlenecks and productivity disruptions, not to mention a slowdown in EV uptake, thus delaying Net Zero outcomes. Licensing needs to be evidence-based, task-focused, and risk-proportionate.
This month, the Research Bulletin covers:
As the expanding EV fleet begins to reach the end of its warranty period, a growing volume of EVs will enter automotive workshops for maintenance and repair.1 This has led to an increasing demand for technicians who can service, repair and maintain these vehicles. The growing demand for electrical skills has induced governments to ponder licensing arrangements for electrical skills. Licensing, if not approached with necessary care, can cause a misalignment in the skills pipeline. This creates productivity barriers that exacerbate skills mismatches and slow the adoption of EV technologies. These barriers ultimately risk stalling progress towards Net Zero targets and delaying reductions in carbon emissions.
Currently, working on an EV is not strictly covered by licensing in any state (Table 1). However, various states have skill sets or national training requirements. Industry views most of these requirements as not aligned with their needs and have raised concerns around some of these arrangements.
Table 1: Licensing Overview for Electric Vehicles and Industry’s view
Source: 1. AAAA, “AAAA Warns NSW EV Licensing Proposal Will Cripple Independent Workshops And Undermine EV Uptake”, 30 May 2025; 2. AADA, “New Electric Vehicle (EV) Testing Category for Licensed Vehicle Testers in Victoria”, 28 November 2025; 3. DEECA, “Energy Safety Roadmap”, December 2025; 4. AADA, “QLD Government Decides Not to Include EV Work Under The Electrical Safety Act”, 8 January 2024; 5. WA.gov.au, “Motor vehicle repairer certificate”, 23 April 2025; 6. AADA, “Ministerial Announcement – No New EV Repair Class in NSW”, 13 August 2025.
Industry has raised concerns around licensing or permit requirements tied to certain qualifications or even skill sets. For example, in the case of high-voltage EV training, there are a limited number of training providers equipped to deliver high-voltage EV training. Currently, there are 41 RTOs delivering 'AURSS00064 Battery Electric Vehicle Inspection and Servicing Skill Set'.2, 3 Additionally, training costs are estimated to range from AUD $1,500 to $3,000 per technician, which may incur additional financial burden for individuals or workshops.4 Similarly, smaller workshops, which constitute a large majority of the automotive workforce don’t always have the ability to recruit and train large numbers of workers. In smaller workshops, technicians are multi-skilled; licensing not informed by industry voice will create supply bottlenecks and adversely affect such employers.
Any licensing discussion should be informed by industry voice and adhere to licensing design principle that allow it to prioritise safety without compromising productivity gains (Table 2).
Table 2: Licensing design principles
There are applications for EV batteries at the end of their vehicle-based life, e.g., as stationary batteries that extend their lifespan. Ultimately, however, the ecosystem will need to recycle the battery; each of these stages has particular skills and infrastructure needs to minimise waste and allow greater returns on material investment (Figure 1). Optimising outcomes from each of these life stages requires evolving skills pipelines in tandem to these stages.
Figure 1: BEV Life Cycle
Source: Sci Total Environ, “Life cycle assessment of battery electric vehicles: Implications of future electricity mix and different battery end-of-life management.”, 20 July 2022.
EVs are typically regarded as high voltage (Appendix A); however, the voltage risk is generally associated with working on the battery itself (Appendix B), and most other components are the same as in an ICE vehicle (Appendix C).
The EV skills supply pipeline
In the automotive industry, employees typically work on an average of 6 to 10 vehicles daily, reflecting both the high demand for services and the technical skills required. (Figure 3) The Australian Government’s decision to halve apprenticeship incentives from $5,000 to $2,500, to redirect funding towards construction and clean energy,5 affecting both the Priority Hiring Incentive and the Australian Apprentice Training Support Payment, could worsen the nation’s automotive workforce shortage. 95.6% vehicles6 on Australian roads still rely on conventional skills, and many traditional apprentices are able to later transition into electric and hybrid vehicle work. The cuts could limit opportunities for young people entering the industry, including recent school leavers and soon-to-graduate students, narrowing pathways at a time of critical technician shortages and potentially resulting in longer repair times and higher costs for consumers.7 These risks widening the automotive skills gap, as reduced support may discourage employers from taking on new trainees in traditional trades.
Figure 3: Daily Vehicle Service Volume by State
Source: AAAA, “2023 Technician Salary Benchmarking Survey”, 2023.
Employment for EV technicians is projected to grow by an additional 2,500 – 4,300 positions by 2030, and 79,500 – 132,000 positions by 2050 (Figure 4), on top of the current number of EV technicians. These projections assume that each technician services approximately 6 to 10 electric vehicles per day, which reflects the average number of vehicles serviced by most automotive shops (Figure 3).
Figure 4: Additional projected EV Technicians needed by 2050
Source: CSIRO, “EV Uptake Projections”, 2021; The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts, “Road vehicles, Australia, January 2025”, 26 September 2025. Note: Customised by AUSMASA; EV passenger car units are projected under the medium scenario, in which electric and fuel cell vehicles largely replace internal combustion vehicles by 2050; The lower bound assumes one technician services an average of 6 vehicles, while the upper bound assumes 10 vehicles per technician.
Electric Vehicle Fires Are Rare
There is a 0.0012% chance of a passenger EV battery fire, far lower than expected. For comparison, petrol and diesel vehicles are estimated to have about a 0.1% fire risk. 8 Globally, there were 44 reported battery fires, 15 injuries and 5 fatalities involving passenger EVs. (Figure 5) Since 2021, there have been 8 reported EV battery fires in Australia, and there are more than 370,000 EVs on the road.9 Skills needed to respond to EV battery fires will also need to be developed and deployed to ensure EVs are safe and sustainable.
Figure 5: Globally since 2010 to June 2024
Source: EV Fire Safe, “How common are EV fires?”, 26 April 2022.
Conclusion
The employment outlook for EV technicians is becoming clearer as the EV market grows. With the number of electric vehicles continuing to grow, there is an ongoing need to better understand the training pathways required for EV repair and maintenance. EV repair regulations and licenses are still a significant and valid safety concern, especially when it comes to high-voltage systems. The practical hazards of EV maintenance, however, may be less severe, particularly if the job is done by properly qualified auto experts who adhere to safety protocols. As EV technology advances, regulations should remain evidence-based, in line with real risk, and adaptable to ensure safe outcomes while also taking industry engagement, labour capacity, and continued access to EV repair services for consumers.
For research
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Research to map out the sequence of tasks that are carried out in relation to an EV in a workshop and what occupations encounter an EV to develop an industry best practice guideline that labels risk levels and skills requirements.
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Limitations in current occupation classifications make it challenging to forecast the existing EV technician workforce. We invite feedback and referral to research that better unlocks quantifying the EV workforce.
For government
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Ensure any licensing conversation is informed by evidence and industry voice.
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Ensure optimal pathways and incentives are in place for EV related skills.
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Unlock incentives that allow EVs to be leveraged as productivity enablers.
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Seek insight from OEMs and repairers on modern EV safety design and how risks are currently managed in practice.
For skills, people and partnerships
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Investigate the skills required to work with EVs and identify whether dedicated training pathways are needed.
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Identify and map electrical skills gaps in the automotive industry.
Appendices
Appendix A: Occupations Comparison Repair Safety
Source: Burt Brothers, “High-Voltage Safety in EV Repairs: What Technicians and Owners Need to Know”, 19 December 2025; Intech institute of Technology, “Automotive Mechanic vs Automotive Electrician – Understanding the Key Differences”, 23 January 2024; Mechanic.com.au, “Electric Vehicle Technician”, 1 April 2025; Safe Work NSW, “Managing electrical risks in the workplace”, August 2019; JSA , “Electricians (General)”, 2025.
Appendix B: Common EV Car Maintenance
Source: Zoom EV, “The importance of Servicing your Electric Vehicle!”, 14 August 2022; Tyre Plus, “Electric Car Maintenance”, 2025.
Appendices
Appendix C: Components Comparison on ICEs vs EVs
Source: Sage Journals, “The electric cars era transforming the car repairs and services landscape”, 24 July, 2024.
1 Repairify, “What Workshops Need To Prepare For In 2026 - Repairify Australia”, 2025.
2 AAAA, “AAAA Calls for Review of NSW’s Flawed Electric Vehicle Repair Proposal - Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association”, 7 May 2025.
3 Training.gov.au, “AURSS00064 Battery Electric Vehicle Inspection and Servicing Skill Set”, 20 December 2023
5 Australian Apprenticeship, “Financial supports for Australian Apprentices and their employers continue from 1 January 2026.”, 11 December 2025.
6 The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts, “Road vehicles, Australia, January 2025”, 26 September 2025.
7 MTAA, “Apprenticeship Incentive Cuts Threaten Australia's Automotive Workforce Pipeline”, 1 December 2025.
8 EV Fire Safe, “How common are EV fires?”, 26 April 2022
9 EVC, “State of Electric Vehicles”, 2025.
About the author
Kayley Ooi
Kayley is a Research Analyst in the Workforce Planning and Policy team. She turns complex data into forward-looking insights.
About the author
Min Jung
Min Seo Jung is the Lead Research Analyst in the Workforce Planning and Policy team. Min specialises in data analysis, cleaning, and visualisation with a strong sense of data rigour, leading her work and generating actionable insights and policy recommendations.
About the author
Dr Aneeq Sarwar
Dr Aneeq Sarwar is Senior Manager, Workforce Planning and Policy at AUSMASA, overseeing our research, workforce planning, and policy functions. Dr Sarwar is an experienced research leader who has managed quantitative and qualitative research projects across industry, academia, and for government.