According to the latest data from the Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, as of the end of June this year, my country's new energy vehicle ownership reached 48.97 million, accounting for 13.19% of the total number of vehicles, an increase of 2.92 percentage points compared with the same period last year. While the number of vehicles is rising and the demand for maintenance is expanding, consumers are also complaining more about the "expensive and difficult maintenance" of new energy vehicles, a problem referred to by the industry as "growing pains."

The "Notice on Several Measures to Cultivate and Expand the Automobile Aftermarket Consumption" (hereinafter referred to as the "Notice"), issued by nine departments including the Ministry of Commerce on June 18 this year, proposes to optimize the supply of new energy vehicle maintenance, stimulate the vitality of the automobile aftermarket, and better meet the diverse automobile consumption needs of the public.

The supply and demand contradiction is prominent.

Minor malfunctions can easily cost thousands of yuan, while major repairs can cost as much as half the price of the car. In mid-July, a reporter visited several auto repair shops and interviewed car owners, car manufacturers, and repair technicians. The interview revealed that the high cost and difficulty of repairing new energy vehicles are becoming a new source of anxiety for many car owners.

Differences in powertrain structure and the number of maintenance items typically result in lower maintenance costs for new energy vehicles compared to gasoline vehicles. However, a survey conducted by J.D., a global automotive data and analysis firm, of car owners in China with vehicles aged 2 to 12 months revealed that in minor collisions involving sensor calibration, the repair cost for new energy vehicles ranges from 5,000 to 15,000 yuan, while for gasoline vehicles it's only 2,000 to 8,000 yuan. In serious collisions, the repair cost for new energy vehicles can approach or even exceed the price of a new car, while the repair cost for gasoline vehicles ranges from 50,000 to 150,000 yuan. Furthermore, longer repair cycles exacerbate user pain points. For example, the high-voltage system repairs for some new energy vehicles require waiting times of several weeks.

The pain points on the demand side are underdeveloped on the supply side. Currently, there are nearly 400,000 auto repair businesses in my country, including 4S dealerships, of which approximately 20,000 are new energy vehicle repair shops. "Compared to the mature repair service system for traditional gasoline vehicles, the construction of a repair service system for new energy vehicles is still in its initial stage," said Zhang Yanhua, president of the China Automotive Maintenance and Repair Trade Association. He explained that my country's new energy vehicle maintenance ecosystem is mainly based on authorization from OEMs and battery suppliers, as well as the 4S dealership model. Independent third-party repair businesses face technical barriers, making it difficult to expand their new energy vehicle repair network.

There is also a significant shortage of skilled personnel for the maintenance of new energy vehicles. According to statistics from the China Automotive Maintenance and Repair Trade Association, there are currently fewer than 100,000 technicians engaged in the maintenance of new energy vehicles. Among them, only 24.7% of technicians are able to perform battery testing and maintenance, and less than 5% of technicians have some understanding of assisted driving or autonomous driving systems but are unable to complete related maintenance work. The industry faces a talent gap of more than 800,000 people.

The electrification and intelligentization revolution is accelerating the restructuring of the traditional maintenance system. "Compared with gasoline vehicles, new energy vehicles place higher demands on professional capabilities and system construction in terms of major components, key technologies, participating entities, and service models," pointed out Zhang Yongwei, Chairman of the China Electric Vehicle 100 Research Institute. He added that the current maintenance technology system for new energy vehicles is not yet mature, and both the power system and intelligent components present high technical barriers.

On the one hand, the core structures of new energy vehicles, such as high-voltage systems, electronic control systems, and thermal management systems, are complex. Their testing, diagnosis, and repair require specialized equipment and systematic technical processes, and the industry is still continuously improving its related technical capabilities. On the other hand, the integration and intelligence of new energy vehicle components are constantly increasing. For example, CTP battery packs, integrated die-cast bodies, and intelligent sensors are highly integrated, making disassembly difficult. After a failure, it is often difficult to perform partial repairs, requiring factory return or even complete replacement. In addition, the complexity at the software level is also high. Especially for third-party repair companies, even if they can complete hardware diagnosis and replacement, they often cannot complete the final repair due to the inability to obtain software rewriting permissions, configuration parameters, or calibration data.

"The demand for testing, maintenance, and emerging services related to the three core electric systems of new energy vehicles is constantly growing. However, the average repair cost of the power battery remains high, the coverage of authorized service outlets by OEMs and battery manufacturers is relatively insufficient, the capacity for testing and repairing the three core electric systems is still limited, and the standardization of the automotive repair industry is not yet perfect," said Hu Xiaodong, President of Tuhu Auto Service. He added that the new energy era has spurred entirely new demands, with maintenance of the three core electric systems becoming a high-frequency, essential need. Users have higher requirements for price, service standardization, and professionalism, and urgently need transparent, standardized, and cost-effective services. Only by closely focusing on users' needs and pain points and carrying out more supply innovation from multiple angles and levels can we better meet the needs and expectations of new energy vehicle owners.

The standards still have shortcomings

Standards and regulations for the maintenance of new energy vehicles are not only the foundation for ensuring the safe operation of vehicles and improving maintenance quality, but also an important guarantee for promoting the standardized development of the industry and protecting consumer rights.

By the end of 2025, my country had issued more than 10 national standards related to automotive maintenance, covering multiple aspects such as parts distribution, repair and maintenance, power battery repair, and the reuse of parts from scrapped vehicles. Among them, the "Requirements for the Management of Information on the Circulation of Automotive Aftermarket Parts," implemented in July 2022, clarifies the principles for managing information on the circulation of automotive aftermarket parts and is applicable to the management of parts circulation information and the traceability of basic parts information; the "Technical Requirements for the Repair and Maintenance of New Energy Vehicles," implemented in January 2025, systematically stipulates the general requirements, safety requirements, and maintenance work items for the repair and maintenance of new energy vehicles; and the "Technical Conditions for the Completion and Delivery of Power Battery Repair," implemented in March 2025, clarifies the requirements for repair work, completion inspection requirements, and quality assurance, focusing on the unpacking and repair of power batteries.

However, there are no unified industry standards for the repair boundaries, quality assessment, and liability division of key components in new energy vehicles. Taking power battery packs as an example, there are currently no clear industry judgment criteria for distinguishing between "repairable," "repair-restricted," or "must-replace" damage, such as cosmetic or structural damage, which can easily lead to disputes over repair plans. The quality assessment and verification mechanism after repair is also imperfect. After the repair of key components, there is a lack of unified standards for quantitatively verifying safety and reliability, making it difficult to determine liability in the event of an accident after repair.

Meanwhile, intelligent driver assistance functions have not yet been included in a clear warranty framework. Although the current warranty regulations have strengthened the overall requirements for new energy vehicles, there is still a lack of clear liability definition and handling basis for the functional failure, software failure and related safety risks of driver assistance systems.

"In response to the problems of lagging standards and vague management regulations in the automotive aftermarket maintenance sector, this 'Notice' clarifies that the management of motor vehicle repair registration will be strengthened, and the standards and regulations for new energy vehicle maintenance will be improved and perfected," said Liu Feng, a senior researcher at the China Automotive Strategy and Policy Research Center. He added that as relevant standards continue to be issued and implemented, the maintenance and repair of new energy vehicles will become more standardized, which will not only effectively guarantee the quality of vehicle maintenance services but also better support their promotion and application.

Advocating for "repair instead of replacement"

"The most dangerous job isn't a food delivery driver, but a car mechanic." This is a bitter joke circulating in the auto repair industry. Behind the joke lies the multiple predicaments faced by new energy vehicles, such as unclear "repair rights" and "difficulty in repairing" them.

Several mechanics have been sued by domestic new energy vehicle companies for "unlocking" the battery packs of new energy vehicles, sparking a discussion among car owners about the rights of vehicle use versus ownership: "I worked hard to earn money to buy this car, and I don't even have the right to go where I can get it repaired. My car is locked up. Is this car still mine?"

Currently, the new energy vehicle repair sector suffers from issues such as closed technical information and monopolistic distribution channels for core components, making it difficult for some repair shops to obtain original equipment manufacturer (OEM) data and supporting resources on an equal footing. Liu Feng stated that the "Notice" addresses this by guiding new energy vehicle manufacturers and power battery manufacturers to open up their repair technology authorization, encouraging "repair instead of replacement," and improving the socialized repair service capabilities for new energy vehicles.

"Many third-party service providers have technical gaps in the repair of new energy vehicles, making it difficult to meet process requirements and easily causing safety risks. In terms of intelligent driving components and system failures, manufacturers need to recalibrate after repair to ensure stability." Li Liangbin, chairman of Ganfeng Lithium, suggested that, under the premise of safety and controllability, car manufacturers or power battery companies should gradually open up repair technology authorization to third parties.

The direct reason for the high cost of repairing new energy vehicles is that car manufacturers, 4S stores, or designated channels mostly opt for "replacement only, no repair" when it comes to damaged parts. An industry insider revealed that "replacement only, no repair" is both more profitable and less troublesome. Taking a highly integrated power battery pack as an example, the cost of replacing a battery in a mid-to-high-end new energy vehicle is around 100,000 yuan, but through module-level or disassembly repair, the battery repair cost can be reduced to 10,000 to 20,000 yuan, far lower than the cost of replacing the entire pack.

"This 'Notice' also stipulates that automobile manufacturers must enrich the channels for repairing and supplying parts for new energy vehicles, and must not restrict consumers' right to choose their own maintenance and repair companies, nor use this as a reason to refuse to assume legal 'three guarantees' responsibilities," said Zhang Yanhua. He added that breaking the monopoly on repair and parts, and building an efficient, standardized, fair, competitive, and fully open system for the repair and parts supply of new energy vehicles, will not only guarantee all repair companies and car owners the right to conveniently use parts for vehicle repairs, but also promote a more vibrant and sustainable development of the automotive aftermarket.