EVALUS JOURNAL
2026-08-19
What does a person working on an electric vehicle need to know?
The common answer is often:
“They need high-voltage training.”
But that does not tell us enough.
Understanding battery technology is different from diagnosing power electronics.
Diagnosing power electronics is different from establishing a de-energised state.
And establishing a de-energised state is different from performing live work.
A future competence model should therefore distinguish between two domains.
Electric Vehicle Competence describes the technical understanding of electrically propelled systems.
This may include vehicle architecture, electric drives, energy storage systems, power electronics, charging systems, diagnostics and component functions.
EV answers:
How does the system work?
Hazardous Voltage Safety Competence addresses electrical hazards and the measures required to control them.
This may include hazard recognition, protective measures, isolation, securing against reconnection, verification of the de-energised state, safe working methods and responsibilities.
HV answers:
How do I work safely under the given electrical conditions?
These are not competing qualifications.
They are complementary competencies.
Technical competence + safety competence = task-related competence.
The focus therefore shifts from the name of a course to the competence a person can actually demonstrate.
In the next article: Two competence domains raise another question: Who should provide which competence? Why formal technical education and non-formal safety training can fulfil different roles.