5 Essential Tools for a Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Mechanic
As the demand for hybrid and electric vehicle mechanics grows in today’s greener automotive world, students and aspiring mechanics must sharpen their skills and adapt their toolkits. With more hybrid and electric vehicles on the road, new challenges and opportunities arise, requiring specialized knowledge and capabilities.
If you’re working in a repair shop or training to become a mechanic, here are five essential tools every hybrid and electric vehicle mechanic should have.
A Hybrid And Electric Vehicle Mechanic Needs A Digital Multimeter
The digital multimeter is a must-have tool for every hybrid and electric vehicle mechanic. This tool measures voltage, current, and resistance in electrical systems, three key parameters for an EV or hybrid vehicle.
You use them to diagnose battery issues, check circuit integrity, and ensure safe working conditions. This tool allows you to quickly identify electrical problems and avoid potential safety hazards, hence its importance.
2. Insulated Hand Tools
Safety remains a top priority when dealing with hybrid and electric vehicles. These vehicles and their high-voltage systems need special precautions in their handling and operations. Because they can deliver the occasional shock, insulated hand tools are highly recommended to wear around them.
These tools have non-conductive coatings that prevent electricity from flowing through them. By wrapping your screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, and every other tool in your tool kit with this insulating material, you’re ensuring a safe and secure workplace for you and others around you.
3. Battery Analyzer
Battery systems are almost always the heart of hybrid and electric vehicles, and so is battery health, by extension. People in hybrid and electrical mechanic training know all about this, and those in the workshop do.
As a hybrid vehicle mechanic, you need a tool to measure battery capacity, detect weak cells, predict remaining battery life, and balance the battery cells. This is where a battery analyzer comes in—a tool so important that many hybrid and EV owners have one. They will help you provide accurate diagnostics and maintenance recommendations to your customers.
4. Thermal Imaging Camera
The heat that electric and hybrid vehicles generate differs from that of a traditional car. Detecting this heat and the places where it is generated matters a lot, so a thermal imaging camera is another valuable tool for a hybrid and EV mechanic.
They can identify hot spots in electrical systems, detect faulty connections, and even find coolant leaks, among other potential issues, before they become major problems. These issues are mostly invisible to the naked eye. Still, their ability to visualize even the smallest trail of heat patterns accurately makes them another must-have tool in a mechanic’s workshop.
5. Diagnostic Scan Tool
A diagnostic scan tool reads and interprets the error codes in many complex electronic systems in today’s EV vehicles. These systems often need a scan tool that is compatible with them, and the right tool can make a world of difference.
With the right diagnostic scan tool, you can pinpoint issues quickly and accurately, and this saves time and ensures proper repairs. The key is finding a tool to access hybrid control modules, battery management systems, and electric drive components. They’ll come in handy in your shop when an EV drives in.
At ATC, you’ll gain the specialized knowledge needed to excel in the growing hybrid vehicle industry. With hands-on training, expert instructors, a focus on the latest hybrid technology, and ATC’s comprehensive curriculum, you’ll be ready to tackle the complexities of hybrid systems and stand out in the automotive job market.
Are you looking for an automotive school to start your journey in EV mechanic training?
Contact ATC Surrey for more information.
