INDUSTRY NEWS

April 4, 2023

HIGH TECH TASK FORCE

Chaired by top executives from industry leaders like Rivian, Lucid Motors and the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA), those who choose to join CIECA’s new electric vehicle and battery committee will surely be in good company, as the organization devises its path forward for the emerging field. CIECA says its new committee aims to bring together companies and individuals from all industry segments to discuss how EVs will change the current business workflows and data. “The goal is to create new workflows that will show the lifecycle of an EV and its battery,” said CIECA technical project manager, Paulette Reed. To meet this goal, CIECA has selected Frank Phillips, senior manager of Rivian’s North American collision network, his counterpart at Lucid Motors, repair program operations manager Jake Rodenroth and Ginny Whelan, executive director of ARA’s educational foundation, to serve as chairs of the board. This new CIECA committee is open to all member and non-member industry stakeholders who are interested.

DIRE PREDICTIONS

A study backed by electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers Polestar and Rivian warns that the automotive industry will likely miss climate goals by 75 percent, further highlighting that targets would be missed even if all cars sold tomorrow were electric. According to Reuters, the pathway report provides three recommendations to achieve climate targets by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to limit global warming to 1.5 Celsius by 2050: a firm end date on the sale of fossil-fuel cars, investing more in EV production and creating more renewable energy sources and more sustainable supply chains. The report agrees with Greenpeace’s analysis of the auto industry, which warns that auto sales of combustion engine vehicles are on track to jeopardize the 1.5 Celsius by 2050 target. “Leading auto manufacturers, including Toyota, Volkswagen, and Hyundai, are transitioning far too slowly to zero-emission vehicles, which has dangerous consequences for our planet. As the climate crisis intensifies, governments are enacting stricter bans on diesel and petrol vehicles,” said Benjamin Stephan, climate campaigner at Greenpeace Germany. “If traditional automakers fail to electrify, they will lose out to newer, all-electric competitors and risk stranded assets.”

BLEND BRIEF

The Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ (SCRS) recent blend study is making estimating system providers “reevaluate” the numbers they’ve been reporting, SCRS executive director Aaron Schulenberg told attendees at last week’s board meeting. The study results, first released November 1, showed blending took 31.59 percent longer than a full refinish—not 50 percent less time, as reported by three estimating platform providers. The study involved five primary North American coatings companies, who were not identified, and a full week of blend tests on 45 2018 Ford F-150 parts: 15 RT front door shells, 15 RT fenders and 15 hoods. Both CCC/Motor and Mitchell told Repairer Driven News in November they were reviewing the results of the SCRS’s audited blend study, in collaboration with five primary North American coatings companies. Mitchell told the outlet it was “always open to discussions with SCRS on the subject,” while CCC is working to “review observations, including scope, conditions, techniques and materials used.” The latter said it would share more once its review is concluded.

SCHOOL IN SESSION

Axalta Coatings and SATA have announced a new training partnership, replacing the Axalta Training Center in Ajax, Ontario, with Axalta Training at SATA Canada. According to a press release, this partnership will provide Axalta and its refinishing customers access to the new SATA Ontario location. Axalta refinish customers will have access to paint technician courses including tri-coat colour application, matte finishing, micro repair and more classes using Axalta tools. This new location features two spray booths, a classroom, a lunchroom and a fully equipped work area.