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How engineers can gear up to join the electric car industry
The burgeoning electric vehicle market spells opportunity for those with the right skillset. A study by Meticulous Research has found that the market will be worth 2,495.4 billion US dollars by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 33.6%.
The growth of the electric vehicle market is chiefly attributed to factors such as supportive government policies and regulations promoting the adoption of electric vehicles, increasing investments by leading automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), rising environmental concerns regarding automotive emissions, and the decreasing prices of batteries.
| Jun 22 | 2 mins readThey add, however, that the lack of charging infrastructure and standardisation is likely to hinder the market’s growth.
The increasing adoption of electric mobility in emerging economies and the growing adoption of autonomous driving vehicles are projected to provide significant growth opportunities for vendors operating in this market, it said.
Meanwhile, many European governments are setting targets for phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel-powered vehicles, including the UK, which wants to ban all petrol and diesel car sales by 2030.
For governments to reach this ambitious goal, expertise in the electric vehicle market is needed.
SupplyChain notes that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are hurrying to design and develop electric vehicles to meet the evolving regulatory deadlines. A shortage of key engineering skills in many national workforces is also a major stumbling block in helping the UK achieve its goals, it said.
Engineering careers in the electric vehicle markets
Reports note that the electric vehicle market is a multidisciplinary field that requires experts from different engineering streams.
Chemical engineers, for instance, can work on battery chemistry. In contrast, those with cross-sectional expertise in areas such as chemical engineering, electronics and electrical engineering are highly sought after, said SupplyChain.
They note that universities are adapting to supply the future talent for the electrified automotive industry, with many offering combined degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering with dual accreditation.
“Degrees in Controls and Systems engineering are also gaining in popularity, teaching future engineers to work on holistic problems where there are conflicting needs and complex interactions,” they said.
“Given the time it takes to train a new engineer and for them to become effective in the workplace, the sector is therefore challenged to wait for this influx and mobilisation of in-demand skills to be realised.”
Many related courses can be taken at the postgraduate level to prepare individuals for roles in the field. The University of Melbourne, for instance, notes that its master of engineering (mechatronics) can prepare graduates to work as new energy vehicle engineer.
Ultimately, the increasing pressure for green energy bolsters the need for individuals with expertise in electric vehicles, which means those who develop the expertise are poised to find themselves in demand in the market.
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