As the automotive aftermarket continues to shift at speed, independent garages are being urged to take a fresh look at where tomorrow’s work will come from and how to position themselves to win it.
Speaking at The Blend in Birmingham on 18 October, Matt Robinson, B2B Director at LKQ Euro Car Parts, told attendees that independent workshops have a huge opportunity to grow their businesses through fleet servicing and EV readiness but warned that standing still is not an option.
“A lot of you in this room are already on the EV journey, some more than others. We know that the EV is ramping up,” said Matt during the keynote session. “The question is how many battery electric vehicles will be entering the aftermarket in the next five years? The answer is just over 80 million.”
The shift in the market
While the electrification trend is now well established, Matt’s data shows how fast things are accelerating. Fleet registrations, in particular, are surging.
“In September alone this year, [there was a] 70% increase in fleet car registrations,” he explained. “Overall, new car registration for fleets in the European Union is [up] 70%.”
Over the next five years, Matt predicts, a further 6.5 million vehicles will be added to European fleets, many of them electric.
“That number is huge,” he told delegates. “And I’m going to talk to you about why you should be considering getting into fleets.”
Why it Matters
The shift to EVs and fleets isn’t tomorrow’s problem. It’s happening now. More than 80 million EVs will hit the European market in the next five years, and two-thirds of all new fleet vehicles will be electric by 2028.
That means fewer visits from long-time ICE customers and a growing need to diversify. Fleet contracts offer steady, high-value work with guaranteed payment.
LKQ’s latest survey of over 1,200 workshops provides a snapshot of where the revenue lies today and where it’s heading.
Currently, 43% of workshop income still comes from ICE vehicles, but 11% is already generated by EVs, with a further 29% tied to fleets and LCVs.
“Nearly a third of the revenue already is coming from that fleet or LCV opportunity,” Matt said. “So if you’re not already doing fleet, you are missing out.”
And the trend is only accelerating. In just three years, he noted, two-thirds of all new fleet vehicles will be electric.
When a loyal customer disappears
To bring the numbers to life, Matt shared his own experience of switching from diesel to electric and what that meant for his local independent garage.
“For the past 10 years I’ve been a diesel oil man,” he said. “This year we introduced a salary sacrifice to EV scheme and that gave me tax breaks and incentives to come out of my vehicle, move across into an EV. And that saved me approximately £200 a month.”
The financial benefits for him were clear but for his trusted workshop, it meant the loss of a long-term customer.
“What that meant to my local workshop, who I’ve been visiting for the last 10 years, who I’ve got a great relationship with, who I class as a friend now, I am now no longer taking my vehicle to his workshop,” he said.
“I’ve probably seen him four times a year, a couple of services, four new tyres because I’ve done lots of miles and my MOT. I would on average spend around £1,500 with this workshop. Now I’m actually not.”
It’s a stark illustration of how electrification is quietly changing the customer base of every independent garage in the UK.
“Think about your workshops, think about the types of customers like yourself, the potential for change,” he urged.
Fleet work as the next growth stream
Matt argued that independent garages are perfectly placed to take on more fleet servicing, if they make the right moves now.
“It’s a regular workflow. No marketing costs. As I’ve just mentioned in my story, higher mileage, higher invoice value customers. Payment’s guaranteed,” he said.
He added that many independents are already proving they can match or exceed the standards expected by national fleet operators.
“What we’ve seen this year from independent workshops [is that] they’ve taken on fleet power and they’ve demonstrated the quality of their work, they’ve demonstrated their capability. Fleet providers said, ‘You’ve got a vehicle, it’s already there, do the tyres.’ And that’s a big win.”
A Connected Future: 1TEC Auto Hub Fleet
To help independents make that transition, Matt announced a new LKQ initiative 1TEC Auto Hub Fleet, developed in partnership with Garage Hive and supported by The Fleet Guy.
The programme will integrate directly with Garage Hive’s workshop management system, creating a live link between garages and fleet providers.
“It allows you to message directly to the fleet, to improve communication, to improve speed of transaction,” Matt explained. “A fleet-facing portal in Garage Hive [will] allow the fleet provider to hook in directly to your workshop.”
The scheme will also offer training and standards support through LKQ’s 1Tech Garage Concepts.
“Supported by market-leading 1Tech garage concepts with our market-leading grounds field teams for training according to the standards and supported by The Fleet Guy in training you and your team,” Matt said.
For Matt, the transition to EVs and fleets represents a major turning point for the aftermarket. Those who adapt will not only survive, but thrive.
“In summary, we’ve got 8 million EVs coming down the pipeline,” he said. “If you’re not already in fleet, this is a real opportunity. The industry is looking for quality workshops.”
Fleet work and EVs are reshaping the independent sector but what’s the reality on the ground? Tell us: Is your workshop ready for more electric vehicles and fleet contracts, or are there barriers holding you back? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
