NAPA Canada and the Conseil provincial des comités paritaires de l’industrie des services automobiles (CPCPA) have joined forces to offer a standardized training program for the maintenance and repair of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

The CPCPA began developing the EV Skills program in 2019, and it will be offered outside of Quebec starting this fall as part of NAPA’s NexDrive certification program. Launched in the spring of 2022, NexDrive provides NAPA AUTOPRO and NAPA AutoCare member shops with the training and equipment they need to provide maintenance and repair services for next-generation vehicles.

“We are very proud to partner with NAPA and contribute to the rollout of a national electric vehicle maintenance training program that was developed right here in Quebec and is already recognized as an industry reference,” says Charles Gagnon, Executive Director of the CPCPA. “Our program was developed to a very high standard to meet the current and future needs of the industry. It’s not tied to any particular vehicle manufacturer, and it’s updated regularly to keep up with the latest technological developments. No other program offers 175 hours of training and the support of a network of certified EV master trainers.”

To date, close to 400 auto mechanics have completed the program in Quebec, and demand only continues to grow, especially in other Canadian provinces where this type of training was not available in the past.

“Technician training is one of the key challenges posed by the electrification of transportation, as electric vehicle owners want a reliable network of service locations to meet their maintenance and repair needs. That’s why a standardized and accredited training program is a cornerstone of the NexDrive banner rollout strategy,” says John O’Dowd, Vice President of Marketing at NAPA Canada. “We are particularly pleased to be able to partner with the CPCPA to deliver a leading training program across Canada in both official languages.”

Level 1 training has already begun in Ontario, and Level 1 and 2 training will begin in British Columbia in early 2023.