In 2022, one of CIECA’s active committees, Recycled Parts and Inventory, was discussing recycled electric vehicle (EV) parts. The committee, chaired by Ginny Whelan, senior consultant for the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA), ultimately found that questions kept arising about how an EV’s lifecycle and batteries would impact recycled parts. As a result, the EV and Battery Committee was formed March 1, 2023.
Since then, the EV and Battery Committee has been chaired by Whelan, as well as Frank Phillips, former senior manager-Certified Collision North America for Rivian, and Jake Rodenroth, North American Body Repair Program operations manager for Lucid Motors.
The committee brought together companies and individuals from all industry segments to discuss how EVs will change the current business workflows and data. Committee members are working to identify new data sources, access and sharing requirements, connectivity methodologies, workflows and terminology. The committee will also help enhance CIECA messages and code lists and help build relationships to resolve issues outside of CIECA.
Paulette Reed, CIECA’s technical project manager, said the goal is to create new workflows that will show the lifecycle of an EV and its battery. Those workflows will then be used to generate new messages and data elements.
“As more EVs arrive on the market, the collision industry segments need to focus on how these vehicles will change the current business workflows and data needed to continue to share data electronically,” said Reed.
Whelan said there is an education component of the committee to help everyone understand the evolving issues with EVs. During the meetings, the committee has been focusing on the safe handling of an EV, the impact of parts and materials on the collision repair process, and the availability of charging stations. She said the committee will also likely discuss EV battery issues, such as mining, manufacturing and battery strength.
“I think the safety component is definitely something worth spotlighting and ensuring that the industry has a good understanding of,” said Phillips. “We want the industry to have the proper knowledge and understand what it takes to repair these vehicles.”