The United States automotive industry is preparing for a shift in more electric vehicles on the road in the future. For companies such as Jiffy Lube, this means getting its service windows ready to handle the maintenance and repair of the next generation of electric vehicles. Jiffy Lube has already successfully addressed the oil change, inspection, and repair needs of combustion engine vehicles for decades. Now the company is looking to expand into the electric vehicle market as it gears up for the coming decades.
Jiffy Lube has just launched a new pilot program that it will be testing in seven markets that have high rates of electric vehicle ownership. These locations will have a new package service that Jiffy Lube calls the electric vehicle signature service. The company is currently known for its signature service oil change which includes a quick oil change service, vehicle inspection, tire rotation, fluid top-offs, and a cleaning.
President of Jiffy Lube, Edward Hymes, says that the company wants to be one of the first oil change and repair franchises that are equipped to handle the needs of electric vehicle owners. The electric vehicle service package will include the same services gasoline cars currently receive, but the electric vehicle signature service will focus on the car batteries and battery systems that power electric vehicles.
Jiffy Lube has over 2,000 franchises across the United States. The locations where Jiffy Lube will be testing its new electric vehicle signature service include Austin, Texas, Portland, Oregon, Miami, Florida, and Los Angeles, California. Jiffy Lube is also experimenting with electric vehicle charging stations at its service areas. The company is trying to figure out the best location to place electric chargers in. One idea that Jiffy Lube has is to have the electric vehicle charged while it is being worked on in a repair or oil change window.
The new electric vehicle service pilot program Jiffy Lube has just launched will reveal a lot says the company’s president. It will help the company determine whether there is a growing demand for electric vehicle maintenance and service. The test run will also help the company determine if providing charging stations where drivers can self-charge is a good idea or if the mechanics should charge the vehicles while the vehicle is being serviced.
It is clear that Jiffy Lube is looking to the future with its electric vehicle signature service that will launch in seven locations. If it is successful in the test locations, the company will probably replicate these services elsewhere. Ultimately, the company’s president says that the customer will dictate the kind of services Jiffy Lube provides and how it provides them.