Just one in four UK technicians are qualified to work on electric vehicles, presenting a “worrying picture” of slowing investment in training for zero emissions.

The latest data from the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) shows that only 26% of the UK technician workforce was EV qualified at the end of quarter 3 2025, equating to 71,942 technicians.

At the same time, the number of technicians gaining an EV qualification in Q3 dropped nearly 13% compared to Q1.

And latest IMI analysis predicts even lower EV certifications for Q4, with around 2,580 new certifications expected.

Future EV uptake also looks set to outpace technician training, as OEMs push EV purchases in their rush to meet ZEV mandate targets in the run-up to the 2030 ICE ban and beyond.

Although IMI projections show the number of EV-qualified technicians will rise over the next decade to reach around 137,000 by 2032 and 193,000 by 2035, the gap between supply and demand is currently set to widen sharply in the early 2030s. Shortfalls are due to emerge from 2033 onwards and increasing year-on-year, reaching more than 44,000 technicians by 2035.

Such a skill shortage will mean the growing population of EV drivers are likely to find it harder to get their vehicles serviced and repaired by qualified experts, especially in certain areas of the UK.

Emma Carrigy, head of research, policy and inclusion, said there was a strong risk of a ‘postcode lottery’ as the second-hand EV market grows.

“It is vital that EV owners and those who aspire to become one, have confidence that their vehicle can be safely, affordably and conveniently serviced throughout their lifetime. A visible, qualified and geographically distributed service and repair workforce is therefore a critical enabler of sustained EV adoption. Employers need urgent support from government to ensure EV drivers don’t face a postcode lottery for servicing and repairs.”

Carrigy warned that it was now too late for even sustained growth in certification to fully close the gap.

“The most acute pressure on technician capacity falls in the years leading up to 2030, when the ZEV mandate needs a rapid increase in electric vehicle sales. This creates a narrow window for employers to scale training and bring more technicians into EV repair roles. Delays during this period will be difficult to recover later, as the skills gap compounds alongside rising vehicle volumes.”

She also said that delays to EV servicing and repairs could further hamper the UK’s electric vehicle transition.

“If drivers face delays for repairs to their EVs they will make their frustration heard and it will put off other would-be EV-switchers with the environmental benefits of zero-emissions mobility unnecessarily delayed.”

The IMI said it’s concerned that the mixed messages on electric motoring from the Government as well as economic pressures have put the brakes on training.

It’s reiterated its call for the Government to address the skills needs and said the automotive aftermarket is being overlooked across several government policies.

The industry group is calling for further action to explicitly recognise automotive servicing and repair skills as part of the EV transition infrastructure. This includes embedding workforce capability into EV policy design, supporting large-scale upskilling of the existing workforce, and ensuring clear, recognised competence and safety standards for work on safety-critical, high-risk and security-sensitive vehicle systems across the sector.

Download the full IMI EV TechSafe report here.