Vic Young Group in South Shields has become the first business in the UK to complete a BTEC Level 2 in electric vehicle hazard management.

The course, delivered by Gateshead College’s AutoSkills Centre, teaches mechanics and service engineers how to safely maintain and repair EVs like the Nissan Leaf.

Stewart Bedlington, Vic Young Group service manager, said: “Ultimately, every car dealer is going to have to know how to deal with electric cars.

“Low carbon vehicles represent the future of the automotive industry and Vic Young wants to be right at the forefront of it.

“Through this investment in training, our customers know they can buy an EV from us with the same complete confidence they would have when buying a conventional car or commercial vehicle.”

The family-run Vic Young Group includes the Vic Young Nissan franchise in South Shields and Vic Young Fleet Management, which manages more than 600 cars and commercial vehicles for companies nationwide.

The group recently ordered its first two Nissan Leafs, which are destined for a corporate client.

Stewart added: “This training was doubly useful to us. Firstly there are already Nissan Leafs on the roads in North East England and we are in a great position to win that service business.

“Secondly, the breadth of the training has equipped our fleet management division with the capabilities to support a wide range of hybrids and EVs.”

The three-day EV hazard management course covers areas such as vehicle identification, the component make-up of EV and hybrid systems, safe isolation of vehicles and the safe storage and handling of batteries. It also covers aspects of working with faulty or damaged vehicles – and how to deal with the hazards these vehicels may present.

The course at Gateshead College is priced at £450 per person.