When you purchase a luxury EV automobile like the Lucid Air, you aren’t expecting to have to get it repaired any time soon. Unfortunately, accidents happen and if you’re in a motor vehicle crash, you’ll be in the market for Lucid collision repair. And you don’t want to take your EV to just any repair center. You want a collision repair center that knows how to expertly repair your EV to factory condition. Here’s why.
Battery Removal
Often, to adequately repair an EV car like the Lucid, the main battery has to be removed. This is not only for safety reasons but also because the technician needs to get access to both sides of the car panels and the only way to make room for this is to remove the battery. However, EV car batteries are huge, with some of them as large as a queen-size mattress and weighing up to 2,000 pounds.
Traditional vehicle collision centers are equipped with lifts that have less than 67 inches of space between the posts. This isn’t wide enough to lift out most EV batteries and as such, they won’t be able to repair the damage as well as a repair shop that has a lift that has more than 67 inches between the posts and has a flat floor so that a lift table can be placed below it. Make sure any repair center you use has the correct battery removal tools.
Safety First
Working around cars always requires certain safety precautions, but EV collision repair centers must have enhanced safety protocols to ensure their safety and that of your vehicle while it’s in their possession. For example, they should know that every EV should be treated as “live” until a diagnostic tool tells them otherwise. They should never work on a car that has a charge or that hasn’t been disconnected prior to beginning the repairs.
If the collision shop works on gas vehicles and EVs, there should be a designated space for EVs only that is surrounded by a clear, 16-foot radius. Battery fires are a reality and any responsible collision shop will keep a safe area between the EVs and other potential fuel for fire. Access to the EV repair area should only be open to employees who are actively working on these vehicles.
Training Certifications
Of course, you want the shop fixing your car to be trained in how to properly repair an EV. There are several certifications available for technicians who work on electric and hybrid vehicles. Look for at least one certification to ensure the person working on your car is qualified to do so. There are many elements of an EV that differ from a gas vehicle and many of them can impact body work and collision repair techniques.
For instance, welding should not be conducted on a Lucid as its body structure will not permit that application. Instead, a technician must use a specific rivet bonding process that requires the right tools and training to be expertly applied.
Conclusion
The way that collision repair shops operate is changing as more EVs are sold every year. But that doesn’t mean all collision repairs can actually work on EVs. Be sure to verify that your shop knows what they’re doing before entrusting your Lucid with them.