Fleet EV News visited leading Sydney repair centre, Narellan Smash Repairs, to find out how the company puts damaged EVs back on the road.
Narellan Smash Repairs has nearly five decades of repair experience under its belt and the team collectively brings more than 70 years of panel beating know-how to customers wanting a top-tier repair.
But how has the rapid uptake of electric vehicles in Australian fleets changed the way they go about putting cars back on the road? Well, the Narellan Smash Repairs is now EV certified with trained specialists and the technology to offer guaranteed repairs.
Narellan Smash Repairs specialises in EV, plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and mild hybrid (MHEV) vehicles, investing heavily in training and infrastructure at its western Sydney facility.
We sat down with Director at Narellan Smash Repairs, Allan Renno, to find out how the company is embracing electric vehicle repairs.
Fleet EV News: Have EVs started to become a regular sight in panel shops like yours?
Allan: Yes they have, especially in the last 12 months. We personally have had at least one or two enquiries every fortnight and we expect that to increase as more Australians make the switch to EVs.
Fleet EV News: What is a typical repair on an EV?
Allan: Typical repairs, based on what we have seen so far, are small to medium panel repairs rather than major damage like big front-end collisions. We have been doing mostly one and two panel repairs, which require two to four days of work to get them fixed.
Fleet EV News: Do you need any special training to repair EVs?
Allan: Yes you do by law. We must know how to handle an EV, especially when it has been involved in a major accident. Our Volvo EV training course taught our specialists the safety steps to take – for example how to barricade the vehicle, place signage on the barricade, have a non-conducting safety stick to use if you need to pull someone away from the danger area and so on.
Fleet EV News: What happens to the battery if an EV has been involved in a big accident?
Allan: If the accident is large enough or it is close to the battery, the battery must be removed and stored safely.
Fleet EV News: How do you manage EVs when they are in the workshop?
Allan: First we decommission them, ensure they are isolated, and then repairs can be undertaken. We then have to recommission them, charge them, undergo a complete system scan and test drive the EV.
Fleet EV News: What else have you done to adapt for the future, as we see more demand for environmentally-friendly vehicles and repairs?
Allan: We now use Waterborne Coatings, which is an eco-friendly paint, which offers superior quality while meeting stringent environmental standards. This paint option is another way to make sure your EV has the lowest environmental impact across its life.
Narellan Smash Repairs will fix motorhomes, light trucks, fleet vehicles and private passenger cars offering quick and cost-effective solutions to put your vehicle back on the road.
Unparalleled experience and a commitment to making sure your vehicle is as pristine as it was when it left the dealership sets Narellan Smash Repairs apart from the pack.
