From BodyShop Business
Mitchell has announced enhancements to Mitchell Cloud Estimating that can simplify the collision damage appraisal process for battery electric vehicles (BEVs). These enhancements — which come as the electric vehicle (EV) sector is bracing for unprecedented growth — establish Mitchell’s position as a trailblazer in the development of advanced appraisal and claims management solutions for automotive insurance carriers and collision repairers.
Historically, estimating platforms have not accounted for the design differences between EVs and their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts, which can create challenges for insurance appraisers and collision repairers. Without EV-specific parts and categories, they have to write BEV damage assessments using ICE alternatives, which can impact estimate accuracy and appraiser efficiency.
The enhancements to Mitchell Cloud Estimating will address these challenges by incorporating new functionality not available in other appraisal platforms. This includes tools designed to simplify the estimating process and support proper, safe repair. Among those new tools are EV-specific:
Vehicle types – Once the vehicle identification number (VIN) is decoded, Mitchell Cloud Estimating automatically updates the user interface, making it specific to BEVs instead of ICE-powered passenger, commercial and specialty vehicles.
Part categories – New part categories dynamically surface the relevant parts data in a way that specifically relates to EVs.
Data organization – EV data is now consistently organized, helping appraisers easily locate the information needed to complete the estimate.
Qualifiers – Mitchell has established industry-standard definitions for EV battery capacity and motor size that appear on the vehicle selection screen and under the vehicle description detail on the printed estimate.
According to Bloomberg, the U.S. surpassed 5% of new car sales powered only by electricity this summer — a critical tipping point that signals the start of mass EV adoption. In Canada, IHS Markit reported that one in 20 new vehicle registrations in 2021 were for BEVs and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), a jump of nearly 6% from 2020. With some car manufacturers shifting to all-electric fleets, EVs will inevitably appear in a greater number of collision claims going forward.
“We’re seeing more EVs in the shop than ever before,” said Jeff Baggett, owner of Classic Car Motoring Inc., an EV-certified collision repair facility for Mercedes, Tesla and Rivian. “Having an estimating platform that accounts for the differences in EV design and construction is really going to save us time. And being able to use that same platform for damage appraisals on all vehicle types — passenger, commercial and specialty — is a real game changer.”
Added Debbie Day, executive vice president and general manager of Mitchell’s Auto Physical Damage division, “Gas prices are accelerating EV adoption and driving one in four Americans to say that they will likely buy an EV the next time they purchase an automobile. This makes having a damage appraisal platform that can support these vehicles critical. Mitchell continues to lead the industry in the development of ground-breaking technology that streamlines the automotive claims process and supports the safe return of both EV and ICE vehicle owners to the road.”
The patent-pending EV enhancements to Mitchell Cloud Estimating will be available later this year.
For more information on the company’s cloud-based appraisal solution, click here.
