REVENUE
GENERATING
OPPORTUNITIES
Hybrid Service
HANDLING HYBRIDS FOR
HIGHER REVENUE
With a few specialized tools and some training, auto repair shops and
technicians can capitalize on this growing repair category.
by Stefanie Von Rueden, Assistant Editor
With the recent focus on
reducing greenhouse gas
emissions and improving
fuel economy for passenger cars and
trucks, hybrid vehicles are becoming
increasingly prevalent. The
Center for Advanced Automotive
Technology said that there are
currently over 4 million hybrid
and electric vehicles on the road
in the U.S. This growing category
poses a revenue opportunity for
independent repair shops and
technicians looking to expand their
current customer base.
According to respondents of the
2017 PTEN Aftermarket Profile, only 34
percent of respondents currently complete
hybrid work in their shops. The
biggest barrier to collecting revenue from
this repair category is training. Hybrid
electric vehicles use high voltages that
can cause injury if manufacturer safety
procedures and general shop safety procedures
are not followed. According to
Fluke, a conventional vehicle’s electric
system is between 12 and 14V, while a
hybrid vehicle ranges from 12 to 650V.
Potentially dangerous voltages exist at
the high voltage cables, high-voltage
batteries, capacitors and the electric
motor-generators. But, if you are willing
to invest in training on hybrid vehicle
repair, you can offer repair services that
many other repair shops do not offer.
Hybrid repair requires a few specialized
tools. When selecting a digital
multimeter for testing hybrid vehicles, it
is important to consider the CAT rating.
A higher CAT number means a tool is
rated for an electrical environment with
more power and energy transients, Fluke
says. A digital multimeter for use on
hybrid vehicles should be a CAT III or
CAT IV rating of at least 1,000V.
52 PTEN DECEMBER 2017 www.VehicleServicePros.com
Because hybrids use high voltages,
it is important to use class “O” rubber
insulating gloves with leather overprotectors
when working on the high
voltage systems. The rubber gloves are
an important safety measure to prevent
accidental electrocution, and the
leather overprotectors protect the rubber
gloves from damage such as punctures
and cuts.
Another hybrid vehicle repair consideration
is servicing the A/C system.
Some hybrid vehicles have higher voltage
systems that use a different oil type
than traditional A/C systems, which
leads to cross-contamination concerns
when servicing multiple vehicles. Fortunately,
there are RRR machines that
work with both standard and hybrid
vehicles, such as the Robinair 1234YF
A/C Service Machine, which includes an
integrated identifier to sample refrigerant
prior to recovery.
Photo: Bigstock
According to Jim O’Hara, vice president
of marketing at Clore Automotive,
hybrids use a 12V battery in conjunction
with the high voltage battery pack.
“If the 12V battery is dead, the vehicle
will not power up or start. Our battery
chargers can be used to charge the 12V
battery to keep it in optimal condition,
avoiding future no-start situations.”
Repair shops should already have
most or all of the battery testing equipment
needed to service the 12V battery,
including battery testers, battery chargers
and jump starters. These are items
that shops may already be using to service
conventional vehicles. Notably, most
hybrid vehicles utilize an AGM battery.
“For shops that have not invested in
AGM-compatible equipment, it is necessary
to do so if they want to service
hybrids,” Clore’s O’Hara says.
If shops are willing to invest in
hybrid training for their technicians
and a few specialized tools for hybrid
vehicle repair, they will be able to expand
their customer base by servicing hybrid
customers that many other repair shops
are not equipped to handle.
/www.VehicleServicePros.com