The 12v Battery is Still Shockingly Important in Electric Vehicles – Professional Recovery Tow Show 2021

We were recently invited to the biggest recovery industry event in the UK - The Professional Recovery Tow Show.

The Professional Recovery Tow Show took place from September 28^th to 30^th, bringing together recovery industry professionals from across the UK, to discuss the latest technology developments within a quickly changing industry. The trade show takes place annually over 2 days, paired with an annual business seminar and outdoor demonstration area.

During the event, we got stuck in to give our opinion on electric vehicle (EV) technology, by speaking at the business seminar sponsored by government agency National Highways.

Talk Highlights

• The 12v battery is still the heart of electric vehicles, and battery management is more important than ever.
• The AA’s own research confirmed that 12v battery faults remain the number one cause for roadside breakdowns at 17.5%, which reinforces the importance of our support and presence within the automotive industry.
• The 14.8% increase of electric vehicle market share in 2021 compared to 2020 means that recovery professionals will need to keep a close eye on changing battery technology and recovery processes over the next few years.

EV – Staying Safe and What the Future Holds

Rotronics Managing Director Ken Clark was invited to speak at the business seminar as an industry expert, with over 30 years’ experience within the automotive industry, as well as experience working within the RAC. He discussed EV/PHEV battery management practices, and the challenges the industry faces with EV/PHEV vehicles, such as the lack of charging infrastructure.

As part of his presentation, Ken gave spoke about our current EV battery equipment available, the GRX5100.

Fellow Speakers

Ken was joined on stage by recovery industry professionals including retired firefighter and UKRO Director, Ian Greenman, as well as AA Head of Technical, Keith Miller, and Nice Chairman Mark Hartell, from the Institute of Vehicle Recovery (IVR). They each shared information about current practices within the recovery industry, such as attending the scene of a broken-down electric vehicle, and the new challenges this holds.

The issue of thermal runaway was discussed in depth, as EV vehicles encounter this issue not only with the 12v battery, but also the high-power lithium-ion battery present within the vehicle. This can cause massive health and safety impacts for recovery and emergency service professionals attending the scene, so solutions were explored including the importance of moving the vehicle into a safe environment.

Other seminars during the day included a talk on closing the generation gap and driver retention in the recovery industry, held by Nikki King CBE, Bethany Winsor, and Sally Gilson.

Over the following two days we also exhibited at the event, catching up with recovery industry professionals to talk about the current battery management challenges they face, including sulphation, thermal runaway, and vehicle non-starts.

We are keen to get involved in other automotive events throughout the year, to spread awareness and educate industry professionals about the importance of battery management.

If you would like to invite Rotronics to your next event. Please get in touch on 0121 514 0605.