For those who want to make a real breakthrough in the service of electric cars in the future, there is great news: MAHLE and Midtronics announce a partnership for high-voltage battery service. The goal is to provide comprehensive battery diagnosis and maintenance in one place for the independent repair market.
There is still a lot of untapped potential in battery service. Because no component causes more breakdowns than the starter battery, according to the ADAC. This has been the case since the first data was collected in 1967.
And even with electric vehicles, the 12-volt starter battery remains the number one cause of breakdowns. In EVs, it powers numerous critical components, including door locks, ECUs, power steering, brakes, and all other electrical functions not related to the propulsion system.
If you want to offer your electric vehicle customers a comprehensive service in the future, MAHLE is the right partner to have by your side. "In the age of electromobility, battery service will take on a completely new meaning for independent workshops. With our partnership with Midtronics, we are opening a new chapter for service equipment," says Georges Mourad, Director Global Service Solutions at MAHLE.
Did you know that between 1900 and 1912, electric vehicles were very popular in the United States? One-third of all vehicles on the road during this period were electrically powered. Edison developed batteries for use in electric vehicles, and the world's first hybrid electric vehicle was invented. However, popularity and demand declined when mass production of the Model T began and gasoline became increasingly affordable.
MAHLE and Midtronics aim to jointly develop service equipment for electric vehicles.
This will enable workshops to provide their customers with a secure, easy, and effective service for lithium-ion batteries. The offering is intended to cover battery diagnostics and maintenance - regardless of brand - throughout the entire lifecycle of the batteries and vehicles.
"Due to the speed at which battery and electric vehicle technology are evolving, no company in the automotive service world has been able to offer such a service so far. This partnership brings together two leading companies that will make the transition to electric vehicle service faster and easier," explains Will Sampson, President of Midtronics.
The share of vehicles with electric propulsion (battery-electric and hybrid vehicles) in Europe could rise to 95 percent by 2035. As a result, battery service could soon represent half of all service offerings provided by workshops. Due to the rapid development of battery technology and the lack of standardization, each electric vehicle has specific service requirements and equipment. The most common battery service tasks include:
For this, you need strong and competent partners who support you with expertise and workshop equipment.
MAHLE brings its knowledge and experience in refrigerant and fluid service, ADAS calibration, BatteryPRO solutions, and vehicle diagnostics into the partnership.
Midtronics contributes its leading position and technology in monitoring, inspection, diagnosis, and maintenance of low and high-voltage batteries.
Together, both companies can offer a complete service package for electric vehicle batteries, which will constitute a significant portion of future business for independent workshops.