1. Know your AC from your DC
If you’re new to the EV charging world and looking to start or change careers, it pays to know the basics of EV charging on a technical level and how the industry is developing to meet global demand. Incidentally, the main difference between alternating current (AC) charging and direct current (DC) charging is the location where the AC power gets converted; inside or outside the car.
Fully Charged is a great place to start. They have videos, articles and opinions on a wide range of all things e-mobility, including the basics.
It’s also worth understanding how the EV sector is connected to and increasingly dependent on other areas like the energy sector including renewables, supply chains, logistics, regulations, health and safety, incentives for businesses and consumers and more. These will help you be informed on the wider areas of the EV world.
2 . Go for an EV test drive
Most people haven’t ridden in an electric vehicle, let alone driven one themselves. If you haven’t, take the initiative, find a dealership and go for a ride. EV’s have instant torque, no gears and depending on the vehicle type they have enough battery capacity to take you and everything you need hundreds of miles between charging stations.
You should also start a charging session to see just how easy it is to get going. There are easy-to-use apps which show how quickly your vehicle is charging (in kWh) and other interesting data points that you will become familiar with in no time.
Myev.com has some great info on taking an EV for a test ride here.
3. Follow Elon Musk on Twitter
Of course this won’t land you your dream role! However, listening to those in prominent positions in the EV sector (Like Elon) is worth your time. What problems do Tesla face, how did the team overcome them? What was learned?
EV Match has a list of the 8 Electric Vehicle influencers you need to be following here which is a good starting point.
There are also some fantastic e-mobility news resources like Electrive. They have news, videos, events and even a study guide all for free. It’s worth signing up to their newsletter which goes out every morning. It includes information on all things e-mobility and will allow you to learn about the successes and challenges faced across the industry.
4. Do an online course
If you want to go a step further and show even more initiative, there are some great online courses that are free or you can pay to get a certificate at the end. Take, for example, this Electric Cars: Technology course from TUDelft:
“This course focuses on the technology behind electric cars. You will explore the working principle of electric vehicles, delve into the key roles played by motors and power electronics, learn about battery technology, EV charging, smart charging and about future trends in the development of electric cars. The course includes video lectures, presentations and exercises, which are all illustrated with real-world case studies from projects that were implemented in the Netherlands.”
Putting in this time and energy before an interview is a great way to stand out from the crowd and illustrates your willingness to learn to a potential EV employer.
5. Be comfortable with a rapidly changing industry & embrace the eco world!
As you can see from the Deloitte Insights below, EVs will secure around 32% of the total market share for new car sales by 2030. With the transition to EVs picking up pace this decade, challenges and hurdles will need to be overcome with the brightest minds working together to tackle them.
It’s also important to make sure that your passion for EV’s and an increasingly greener world are aligned with the values of the companies you are interviewing for. The EV world is transforming the social landscape and if your own values and aims for the future are aligned with working on huge global issues like climate change, greener cities, cheaper and more accessible transport infrastructure not just for those that can afford it, but for everyone -- then this will ultimately shine through.
Make sure to ask about the values and DNA of potential companies. Do these align with yours? Would you be proud to work for a company in the EV space that puts these values first? If you love the product and service but don’t agree with a company's values, you should seriously reconsider why you are applying. Take a look at Heliox’s DNA and see if you agree with our set of values:
To thrive in the EV world you will need resilience and an open-mind and one of the most important things is that you’ll need to be comfortable with change. Changes in technology, processes, people, regulations and much more are only going to accelerate. If this sounds exciting to you there really has never been a more exciting time to work in the e-mobility sector
*Bonus tip:
Lastly, be yourself and be honest in interviews. If you have zero experience in the EV sector that’s fine, it may actually be to your advantage as you can see the company in a completely different way to someone who has years of experience. Good luck!