As you very well know, a car is a complex machine with a lot of moving parts and components. As a car owner you will need to service, maintain and repair the engine as required and this is where professional mechanics come in.
Yes there are some maintenance that you may be able to handle by yourself, but there are a still a lot of servicing, repairs and also maintenance that can only be handled by a mechanic.
Therefore it does not come as a surprise that there are a lot of persons who have become professional auto mechanics because people require their services.
However, electric vehicles require less repair and maintenance than what is obtainable with conventional combustion engines such as Gasoline-powered vehicles.
California’s EV Transition Not Okay for Mechanics
In a bid to combat climate change and air pollution, California has decided to go for electric vehicles. As we already pointed out, electric vehicles do not need as much repair and maintenance as conventional combustion engines, so you can see how this move will adversely affect the jobs of auto mechanics.
According to projections, about 32,000 auto mechanics jobs will be lost will be lost as a result of this transition.
The State proposes to phase out all new gasoline powered cars by 2035 so as to transform into a climate-friendly, carbon-neutral state.
The California Air Resources Board estimates that this move which will span over a decade will result in the loss of about 64,700 jobs affecting mechanics, gas station workers as well as automobile and parts dealers.
While about 24,900 jobs will be gained in other sectors. This brings the estimated net loss to 39,800 jobs but the workforce that will still be most affected by this transition is the auto mechanics.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has it that mechanics across the state make an average of about $26 an hour or $54,190 a year and having to lose a steady and reliable source of income because of this mandate will indeed be difficult for this mechanics.
However, some people consider this transition a step in the right direction seeing that California has already started experiencing the effects of climate change. Their public health, economy and environment have felt the effect of climate change hence the need to take action.
The decision to tackle this issue by phasing out gas-powered vehicles was reached by state leaders because 40% of their greenhouse gas emissions came from transportation. It therefore makes sense that switching to electric vehicles will go a long way in curbing the issue.
Although the sad truth is that some sectors will lose jobs as a result of this move, new jobs will also be created in other sectors.
This transition will not be abrupt but will span over a period of time as we have already pointed out. So it is not as though mechanics will be suddenly out of jobs in a twinkling of an eye.
People can still drive their gas-powered cars and there won’t be a ban on the sale of used cars. This goes to say that even past 2035, there will still be a lot of gas-powered cars being driven in California.
Bear it in mind however, that although electric cars do not need as much maintenance or repairs as conventional cars, replacing some parts when the need arises can be very expensive.
Some of the mechanics can still work on electric vehicles by providing services such as tire rotations, battery inspections, and cosmetic repairs.
