Working on an electric vehicle isn't just a matter of popping the hood, disconnecting a few cables and burying your head and hands inside. There's safety involved as well, as service technician Julio Hernandez knows.
Hernandez, a platinum-level service technician, is the first EV-certified technician at Rick Case Hyundai Davie in a Fort Lauderdale suburb. His brave new world requires precise training to avoid damaging a vehicle and, by extension, risking a service technician's life.
"What we need to worry about are the hazards of the car," said Mark Perry, the dealership's service director. "If you are clocking 240 volts, it could kill you. There are big rubber gloves we have to wear. There is a safety helmet with goggles to protect them. We have a set of insulated tools.