Thornhill, Ontario — Many collision managers out there wrestle with the question of whether to get ahead and get trained on the latest electric vehicles or hold out until the demand shows up at your shop’s door—for CARSTAR North Toronto, a repair mix of 60 percent Tesla vehicles speaks for itself.
CARSTAR’s communications department published an interview with Alan Shek, owner of CARSTAR North Toronto, on Wednesday, where he responded to many of the common questions bodyshop managers have surrounding bringing EVs into their facility.
Shek says that thanks to his shop’s location in an area with a high rate of EV adoption, and therefore a client base with the money to afford them, leaning into EV repairs has come at the perfect time for CARSTAR North Toronto.
“We first began to notice the shift about three to four years ago but have seen a huge acceleration over the past 24 months, especially among high-end clientele,” he said.
“In the past year and a half, EVs have become even more prevalent among the average consumer in the North Toronto region.”
When determining where to place the focus of his EV repair ambitions, Shek saw Tesla as the clear frontrunner.
“We chose to earn a Tesla certification and enter the EV market because we saw Tesla as the unopposed industry leader from a technology, manufacturing, infrastructure and even hardware point of view,” he said.
“Our team recognized that while Tesla is the first to emerge in this market, other companies are following closely behind. Having the Tesla certification now, just helps our team prepare for the future of this trend.”
As a recent recipient of Tesla certification, Shek can attest that the effort on the part of his team has paid off in a big way when it comes to keeping a steady stream of work coming in the door.
“After earning the Tesla OEM certification, Tesla has been sending customers to our door every single day!” Shek says this is how his shop achieves an average repair mix of 60 percent Tesla vehicles, sometimes reaching as high as 80.
Acknowledging the significant undertaking this training represented to his staff, Shek expressed gratitude for the ambition CARSTAR North Toronto technicians showed in getting acquainted with these new processes.
“Achieving the certification was no easy feat, as there were several details that required diligent attention,” he said.
“I am fortunate that my team’s ‘seize the day’ mindset took hold, and we were seamlessly able to earn our certification. The Tesla team and our CARSTAR corporate team were both passionate, intelligent, seasoned and always willing to support us through the process.”
If you have been going back and forth in your head about whether now is the right time to begin your shop’s EV repair education, Shek has a simple message for you: “Don’t wait!”
“Regardless of your feelings on EVs, you cannot change the shift in the industry. Everyday shop owners who tell themselves ‘same old, same old,’ are falling behind. The auto industry as a whole is in the process of a new beginning. The rise of EVs is a revolution, not just an evolution, and we are proud to be on the offensive side of the rink.”
