Mercedes-Benz is marching into the EV time.
Within the U.S., the luxurious automaker expects battery-powered cars to account for of new-car gross sales by way of 2026 and 70 p.c by way of the start of the subsequent decade.
However first, Mercedes will have to get ready its retail community to carrier the ones next-generation cars. To try this, the logo is making an investment in technician coaching.
CCC Clever Answers’ 2022 Strike Direction document stated there will likely be 100,000 technician activity openings over the subsequent decade.
Mercedes has partnered with activity coaching program Task Corps to support assemble the skill pipeline for its sellers.
The automaker will manufacture the curriculum, teach Task Corps instructors, handover technical assistance and donate fabrics, gear and gear. The learning of 16- to 24-year-olds will hurry park at Task Corps facilities in Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pristine Jersey and Utah to start out.
Ralf Paul, Mercedes-Benz USA director of shopper services and products, spoke with Personnel Reporter Urvaksh Karkaria in regards to the corporate’s efforts to get the logo’s dealerships on top of things with electrical car carrier. Listed here are edited excerpts.
Q: How is Mercedes serving to dealerships with EV preparedness?
A: Since introducing our first battery-electric car and next hybrid fashions, Mercedes-Benz USA has presented high-voltage coaching to franchised dealerships and authorized clash middle technicians. Our coaching has persevered to conform with the marketplace’s year and EV quantity; EV coaching is technology-centric to facilitate focused studying and no longer hurry the technician out of the dealership longer than wanted. Our curriculum contains e-learning and hands-on lessons. The Trade Drivetrain Technician Construction Monitor covers all EV subjects and has a incessantly increasing catalog. Moreover, we’re including Operating-under-Voltage lessons in 2024 to safeguard we keep forward of the desire and on lead of the security necessities. Preserving our broker technicians gifted is our lead precedence.
The Mercedes-Benz Academy do business in in-person and digital studying coaching devoted to EVs and EV preparedness. In 2022, Mercedes-Benz Academy introduced a 2.5-day experiential coaching program out of doors of Birmingham, Ala., to coach staff on electrical car basics, excursion Mercedes’ meeting plant in Tuscaloosa and achieve publicity to the Mercedes-Benz territory of electrical cars thru dynamic using reviews.
Does Mercedes have a program to manufacture/retain current technicians or support their dealership community achieve this?
Mercedes-Benz USA takes a complete solution to figuring out, recruiting and creating technician skill. It features a highschool program that gives coaching systems to 66 towering colleges around the U.S. that experience partnered with a sponsoring Mercedes broker.
It features a post-secondary program offering curriculum, lecturer instruction, apparatus, gear and a car to 57 technical schools partnered with a Mercedes broker.
The flagship MB Pressure program, presented at Mercedes’ 5 Studying & Construction Facilities, is a 17-week program to coach entry-level technicians for franchised sellers.
Are there systems to raised sew gross sales and repair in combination, like a sales-to-service handoff or new-owner nights when new-vehicle homeowners meet the carrier director?
We’re running on a 2d supply procedure to safeguard that the buyer understands the entire options in their car.
How are frame stores making ready to paintings on EVs?
Mercedes-Benz USA has rolled out a current Mercedes-EQ Qualified Accident Program, an spare certification to the logo’s Elite Qualified Accident Program. Mercedes-EQ Qualified Facilities will now book the best possible point of coaching and certification for Mercedes passenger cars. At a Qualified Accident Heart, technicians are in particular skilled to revive EQ and combustion engine cars.
Is Mercedes encouraging dealerships to promote portions on-line?
Mercedes helps more than one platforms for better flexibility relying at the product and buyer wishes. Dealerships promote the entire portions catalog and tires on-line. Mercedes helps a number of multiline OEM platforms to support outlets secured with clash and mechanical wholesale shoppers to buy portions on-line.
