Saanich auto repair shop eyes expansion, building on trends toward zero-emission vehicles

A Saanich, B.C. autobody shop is bringing a new, independent option that’ll exclusively service and repair all makes of electric and hybrid vehicles.

A Saanich, B.C., auto repair shop is bringing a new, independent option to Vancouver Island that’ll exclusively service and repair all makes of electric and hybrid vehicles, which industry experts believe is a provincial first.

“Over the years, we’ve been tooling ourselves up and getting ready for this increased market,” says Rand Automotive and EV Lab’s general manager Miles Brown.

As Canadians shift the way they drive, moving away from internal combustion engines, the Greater Victoria business says the time to evolve is now. It’s opening a garage on Roderick Street at the end of March specifically for a clientele that has made the switch.

“The customer demand is there. We’re seeing it already,” says Brown. “We’ve been hearing that people have been looking for servicing and are waiting up towards two to three months.”

The EV Lab says there is an independent operator on the Lower Mainland catering to Teslas, but no others working in a dedicated space for all makes and models of EVs.

“In the province, I know there are other shops that are doing EV stuff alongside the internal combustion engine vehicles,” says Camosun College’s EV programs head Patrick Jones.

“I’m a little surprised it’s taken this long.”

The automotive program lead says technicians have been keen to jump on the emerging market. In three years, since the creation of Camosun’s EV tech and servicing program, 120 students have come through.

“Our existing skilled trades B.C. program does have a component for electric and hybrid vehicles, but there’s technicians out there that have missed that, have been Red Seal techs for a number of years, and they need that upgrade,” says Jones. “In fact, Rand Automotive has had four of their technicians now through our program.”

The uptake on zero-emission cars is gaining momentum. A market snapshot from Statistics Canada that was released in June 2024 shows close to 185,000 new registrations in 2023, which is a 49-per-cent increase from 2022. It represents 11 per cent of all new motor vehicles registered that year.

“B.C. has the largest population of EVs per capita in North America,” says Brown. “The vehicles are selling at a quicker rate every single year. So the population of vehicles out there is increasing, coming out of warranty.”

That’s also driving the decision to expand. Rand Automotive hopes to open the EV Lab at the end of March and get customers through within two weeks.

“There will definitely be a need for it,” says Mark Byram.

His family owns two electric vehicles – neither of which have had any major need for repairs yet. He says there was a warranty replacement on a cracked piece of glass and says the process to get it fixed was “pretty straightforward.”

“It’s kind of an emerging industry and to have some choices would be good,” he adds.