No need to fear EVs says Matt Cleevely during AMB25 demo
Matt Cleevely, founder of Cleevely EV and one of the UK’s leading advocates for independent electric vehicle servicing, delivered two impactful sessions on the opening day of Automechanika Birmingham 2025, urging independent workshops to take practical, pro-active steps into the EV market.
Drawing crowds to the Workshop Hub, Cleevely shared the story of how his family-run garage transformed into a nationally recognised EV service centre by committing early to electric. “We didn’t wait for EV customers to walk through the door,” he said. “We built the capability first, gained hands-on experience, and grew as the market matured.”
‘No need to fear EVs’
The presentation covered everything from setting up a basic EV service operation to scaling up mobile support. Today, Cleevely Group operates an 8,000-sqft workshop, a 4,000-sqft EV showroom, and a national mobile servicing network with 12 EV technicians on the road.
Cleevely challenged the belief that EV work requires a huge financial outlay, saying:
“You can get started with core safety training, a modest toolkit, and the willingness to learn. The real investment is in mindset and confidence and the sooner we get hands-on, the better positioned we’ll be.”
The talk also touched on high-voltage insulation testing, the growing demand for EV tyre replacements, and the ongoing need for regular EV maintenance all illustrated with live demonstrations using a Nissan Leaf.
No need to fear EVs says Cleevely Group founder
With the UK’s electric car parc growing rapidly, Cleevely’s message for workshops that there’s no need to fear EVs is timely and clear: “Independent garages are more than capable of leading the EV charge but only if we act now.”
Garage owners and technicians who missed Tuesday’s sessions can catch Matt Cleevely delivering live EV demonstrations in the Workshop Hub on Wednesday (12:30PM and 2:00-3:00PM) and Thursday (10:00-11:00AM and 1:00-2:00PM). He will also take to the stage with other industry experts for a panel discussion on the future of EVs in the independent aftermarket, taking place Wednesday.
For more information on Cleevely Group’s training, mobile servicing, or EV parts support, visit the Cleevely Group website.
