"Electric is the future, that's why we've dealt with the topic." Edin Pandza believes in the change in the car industry, even if he still rarely gets one of the cars with new drive technology on the lifting platform in his workshop.

The 38-year-old owner of the master workshop Edin Motors in Frankfurt estimates the proportion of electric cars in his workshop to be “perhaps ten percent”.

In comparison with other operators of free workshops, i.e. not tied to a manufacturer, he is probably at the top in Rhine-Main.

The majority still only processes repair orders for cars with combustion engines.

Pandza, on the other hand, wants to be prepared for the newcomers and registered himself and his workshop manager Michael Schlaback for the training courses on working on high-voltage systems a year ago.

Cost: around 700 euros each.

Since then, the two mechanics have been authorized to carry out all repair work on electric cars.

Pandza says his workshop in the Hausen district is the only independent workshop in Frankfurt that is allowed to carry out any repairs on electric cars.

He not only paid the 1400 euros for the training, but also spent a good 1000 euros on special tools that are particularly well insulated in accordance with the requirements.

“With electric cars currently having a market share of 1.3 percent, the effects on the workshop business are not that extensive,” confirms Joachim Kuhn, Managing Director of the Hessian State Association of the Motor Vehicle Trade.

In addition, the brand-related covered the majority of the still small business, says Kuhn.

An assessment shared by the headmaster of the state technical school of the automotive trade in Hesse, Claus Kapelke.

"Most of the vehicle workshops of the brand-specific car dealerships have already been prepared by their manufacturers or importers," says Kapelke.

Many would have recognized here that e-cars had become a reality.

Even as a small boy, Pandza came into contact with car repairs.

The grandfather of the native Bosnian had a small garage where Pandza “actually always walked around” at the age of six, as he says.

It was also clear to him early on that he also wanted to work as a mechanic.

After his family had to leave the country because of the Bosnian war, he did his training in Germany.

Pandza has lived in Frankfurt since 2006.

He was employed as a workshop manager for five years before starting his own business in 2011.

Today he employs seven people and one trainee.

“There is more than enough work”

The parking lot and the lifts at Edin Motors are jam-packed this morning.

“There is more than enough work,” says workshop manager Michael Schlaback.

In many cases, the repair of an electric car differs little from conventional combustion engines.

“Tyres are tires,” says Schlaback.