Hyundai Motor Company has expanded its maintenance network across the nation, allowing electric vehicle repairs at over 1,000 Blue Hands locations.
To enhance maintenance convenience for electric vehicle owners, Hyundai began developing maintenance hubs for electric vehicles in 2020. By last year, servicing was available at over 514 of the 1,200 Blue Hands locations nationwide, and currently, that number has exceeded 1,000.
Blue Hands locations that service electric vehicles are equipped with dedicated maintenance workshops, ensuring that they possess a set of five safety equipment (insulating suit, insulating helmet, insulating mat, insulating gloves, protective goggles/face shields) along with specialized tools to prioritize the safety of engineers.
At least one engineer who has completed Hyundai’s unique electric vehicle maintenance technology certification program, the ‘Hyundai Electric Vehicle Master Certification Program’, is stationed at each location to provide systematic maintenance services.
Hyundai aims to maintain the number of Blue Hands capable of servicing electric vehicles at over 1,000 to enhance customer satisfaction continually.
Additionally, Hyundai is working on strengthening its maintenance capabilities in anticipation of the forthcoming electrification era by developing experts in electric vehicle maintenance.
Initially, various educational programs, including high-voltage battery and charging system training and fault diagnosis, are being conducted for Blue Hands engineers in collaboration with major universities across the nation.
This past March, the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Employment and Labor and Blue Hands to develop and operate training programs for electric vehicle maintenance personnel. Blue Hands plans to hire graduates of this program who complete it with excellent results as engineers in the future.
A Hyundai official stated, “We will consistently maintain the number of Blue Hands capable of servicing electric vehicles, allowing customers to receive maintenance services anywhere in the nation with peace of mind,” adding, “By enhancing our electric vehicle maintenance capabilities, we strive to provide a differentiated customer experience.”
Meanwhile, Hyundai is also making efforts to expand maintenance infrastructure for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Currently, 115 Blue Hands locations have established dedicated maintenance workshops for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and introduced 13 specialized pieces of equipment needed for repairs, such as hydrogen discharge adapters and hydrogen line residual pressure removal tubes. Future plans will factor in the distribution trends of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to establish expanded maintenance infrastructure.
Jin Sang Lee daedusj@autodiary.kr