A major analysis by Scrap Car Comparison has revealed that while EV ownership continues to surge, several Welsh counties — including Bridgend, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire — have almost no garages certified to safely repair electric vehicles.
Swansea leads locally — but still far behind the UK’s best
Swansea is the only area in the Swansea Bay City Region performing well, with 30% of repair businesses employing at least one IMI TechSafe‑qualified EV technician.
That puts Swansea second in Wales behind Flintshire — but still far behind the UK’s top hotspots, where more than three‑quarters of garages are EV‑safe.
Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire near the bottom
The picture worsens dramatically outside Swansea:
- Neath Port Talbot: just 3% of garages have a certified EV mechanic
- Carmarthenshire: only 1%
- Pembrokeshire: 0% — no certified EV mechanics at all
- Bridgend County Borough: also 0%
That means drivers in large parts of South West Wales may struggle to find a technician qualified to work on high‑voltage EV systems — something many manufacturers require to maintain warranties.
“A real risk for drivers” — warning from industry expert
Matt Clamp, Customer Service Manager at Scrap Car Comparison, said the findings show how uneven EV support has become across the UK.
He said many drivers assume any garage can safely repair an EV, but the reality is very different.
“Though most garages will likely repair EVs, the data shows that many may not have the appropriate certifications for handling vehicles with high‑voltage electrical systems.
“Some manufacturers require owners to use technicians with the right qualifications to maintain the vehicle warranty. There’s also a risk to business owners and technicians if they’re working on EVs without being properly educated on the risks.”
He urged EV owners to check a garage’s credentials before booking repairs or maintenance.
EV ownership rising — but support isn’t keeping up
Electric vehicles now make up nearly a fifth of new car registrations in the UK, and Wales has seen rapid growth in EV adoption. But the new data suggests the repair infrastructure in many Welsh counties is lagging far behind.
In Pembrokeshire, Bridgend and Carmarthenshire — all with large rural areas — the lack of certified mechanics could leave drivers travelling long distances for specialist repairs.
The Welsh EV repair rankings
| Rank | Local Authority | % of car repair businesses with an EV-safe technician |
| 1 | Flintshire | 60% |
| 2 | Swansea | 30% |
| 3 | Cardiff | 23% |
| 4 | Caerphilly County Borough | 20% |
| 5 | Denbighshire | 19% |
| 6 | Isle of Anglesey | 17% |
| 7 | Monmouthshire | 15% |
| 8 | Vale of Glamorgan | 13% |
| 9 | Conwy | 11% |
| 10 | Rhondda Cynon Taf | 7% |
| 11 | Merthyr Tydfil County Borough | 7% |
| 12 | Wrexham | 7% |
| 13 | Gwynedd | 4% |
| 14 | Neath Port Talbot | 3% |
| 15 | Blaenau Gwent | 2% |
| 16 | Powys | 2% |
| 17 | Carmarthenshire | 1% |
| 18 | Torfaen | 0% |
| 19 | Bridgend County Borough | 0% |
| 20 | Pembrokeshire | 0% |
| 21 | Ceredigion | 0% |
Scrap Car Comparison says more than 6,100 UK garages now have at least one EV‑qualified mechanic — but huge regional gaps remain.
Top 20 UK areas for EV-friendly car repair businesses
| Rank | Authority Area | % of car repair businesses with an EV-safe technician |
| 1 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 79% |
| 2 | Bath and North East Somerset | 75% |
| 3 | Brighton and Hove | 65% |
| 4 | Flintshire | 60% |
| 5 | Torbay | 47% |
| 6 | Derby | 43% |
| 7 | Stirling | 31% |
| 8 | Borough of Wokingham | 31% |
| 9 | City of Peterborough | 31% |
| 10 | Swansea | 30% |
| 11 | Fife | 26% |
| 12 | Dumfries and Galloway | 26% |
| 13 | Renfrewshire | 26% |
| 14 | Kingston upon Hull | 25% |
| 15 | Aberdeen City | 25% |
| 16 | York | 24% |
| 17 | Cardiff | 23% |
| 18 | Scottish Borders | 23% |
| 19 | Edinburgh | 23% |
| 20 | Warrington | 22% |
Bottom 20 UK local authority areas for EV-friendly car repair businesses
| Rank | Authority Area | % of car repair businesses with an EV-safe technician |
| 1 | Kirklees | 0% |
| 2 | North Ayrshire | 0% |
| 3 | Inverclyde | 0% |
| 4 | East Renfrewshire | 0% |
| 5 | North Somerset | 0% |
| 6 | Torfaen | 0% |
| 7 | Bridgend County Borough | 0% |
| 8 | Pembrokeshire | 0% |
| 9 | Ceredigion | 0% |
| 10 | Bedford | 0% |
| 11 | North Lincolnshire | 0% |
| 12 | North East Lincolnshire | 1% |
| 13 | Carmarthenshire | 1% |
| 14 | North Northamptonshire | 1% |
| 15 | Stockton-on-Tees | 1% |
| 16 | Isle of Wight | 1% |
| 17 | East Sussex | 2% |
| 18 | City of Milton Keynes | 2% |
| 19 | Leicestershire | 2% |
| 20 | Hartlepool | 2% |
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