Electric vehicle careers:

On the road to change
Summer 2012 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 15

James Hamilton

James Hamilton 

is an economist 

in the Office of 

Occupational 

Statistics and 

Employment 

Projections, BLS. 

He is available at 

(202) 691-7877 

or at hamilton.

james@bls.gov.

The electric vehicle industry could be 

revving up. And if industry growth 

accelerates, so will job creation in 

related occupations.

Many occupations related to electric 

vehicles are similar to those that help to make 

and maintain all types of automobiles. But the 

industry is also adding some nontraditional 

jobs, and workers’ skill sets must evolve to 

keep up.

This article describes careers related to 

electric vehicles. The first section is about the 

electric vehicle industry and its growth. The 

second section describes selected occupations 

related to electric vehicles, including those in 

scientific research, engineering, manufacturing, maintenance, and infrastructure development. A third section discusses training for 

workers interested in electric vehicle jobs. The 

final section gives sources for more information.

The electric 

vehicle industry

Electric vehicles have been around, in one 

form or another, since the invention of the 

automobile. In fact, electric vehicles even 

outsold gasoline-powered vehicles in the early 

1900s. With improvements to gasoline engines 

and the availability of cheap fuel, electric 

vehicles fell out of favor throughout much of 

the 20th century. But these vehicles are now 

making a comeback.

According to the U.S. Department of 

Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, U.S. sales of electric cars increased 

from near zero in 1999 to about 250,000 in 

2010. Sales of these vehicles are expected to 

continue rising as electric vehicle technology 

improves and consumer acceptance grows. An 

August 2009 study by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology at the University of 

California, Berkeley, projected that by 2030, 

electric cars will make up 64 percent of sales 

of all light vehicles (passenger cars, vans, 

pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles).

Some consumers purchase electric 

vehicles for their environmental benefits. 

Electric vehicles produce lower emissions 

than conventional vehicles—and some even 

produce zero tailpipe emissions—so they are 

better for the environment. And because they 

run on electricity in addition to, or instead of, 

gasoline, electric vehicles can help to reduce 

petroleum dependence. Rising gasoline prices 

have also led to renewed interest in electric 

vehicles, which are more fuel efficient. All 

of these factors may help contribute to the 

expected increase of electric vehicle sales.

However, keeping electric vehicles on 

the road depends on widespread infrastructure changes. Some types of electric vehicles 

rely on charging stations for power, and most 

charging stations are installed in the homes of 

electric vehicle owners. Public charging stations allow people to recharge their vehicles 

when they are away from home, but few of 

these exist. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 11 states had no 

public charging stations as of June 2011, and 

16 states had 10 or fewer.

How electric vehicles work—

and why they’re creating jobs

Electric vehicles are similar to gasolinepowered vehicles in many ways. But unlike 

conventional vehicles, which rely solely on a 

gasoline-powered internal-combustion engine, 

electric vehicles receive some or all of their 

power from a lithium-ion battery and electric 

motor.

There are several types of electric vehicles: hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and all-electric 

vehicles. Hybrids and plug-in hybrids use 

both gasoline and battery power. All-electric 

vehicles use only a battery to run and must be 

recharged at special charging stations. Plugin hybrids, like all-electric vehicles, receive 

power from a charging station but have a longer range because they can run on a conventional engine when the battery runs out.

Electric-vehicle manufacturing is 

expected to create many new jobs, especially 

for workers who make lithium-ion batteries 

and for those who build, operate, and maintain electric vehicle charging stations, according to the Center for Entrepreneurship and 

Technology’s 2009 study. The study projected 
16 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2012

that by 2030, the electric vehicle industry will 

drive a net employment gain of 130,000 to 

350,000 U.S. jobs. New jobs may be created 

in occupations throughout the electric vehicle 

industry.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 

does not have data specifically on employment 

in the electric vehicle industry. However, BLS 

recently released data from its Green Goods 

and Services survey, which measures the number of green jobs in several industries related 

to electric vehicles. (A green job is one in 

which workers produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment or conserve 

natural resources.) According to this survey, 

there were 5,920 green jobs in battery manufacturing, 9,700 green jobs in motor vehicle 

manufacturing, 18,850 green jobs in motor 

vehicle parts manufacturing, and 8,450 green 

jobs in automotive repair and maintenance.

Many of the jobs in those four industries 

are involved in producing or servicing hybrid 

and electric vehicles. But because of the 

nature of the data, it is not possible to determine exactly how many of the jobs relate only 

to these vehicles.

Driving change: 

Electric vehicle jobs

The electric vehicle industry employs a variety 

of workers, from the scientists and engineers 

who research and develop ideas to the sales 

workers who explain the advantages of electric cars and trucks to potential consumers.

Occupations in scientific research

Many scientists working on electric vehicles 

focus on improving battery technology. For 

example, longer lasting batteries for plug-in 

and all-electric vehicles would allow them 

to go longer distances without needing to be 

recharged. To make electric vehicles a viable 

alternative to conventional ones, scientists 

strive to make batteries that recharge faster 

and last longer between charges. And while 

nonelectric vehicles can be filled with gas in 

a matter of minutes, most current batteries 

require several hours to fully charge.

Scientists also work on batteries to 

improve hybrid vehicles’ fuel economy. The 

longer a vehicle can be driven on battery 

power alone, the less fuel it will consume. 

Improved batteries will allow vehicles to rely 

more on electric propulsion and less on fossil 

fuels.

Scientists usually work in offices and 

laboratories. Some laboratories are small, but 

others are large enough to incorporate prototype chemical manufacturing facilities and 

advanced testing equipment. Scientists might 

also work for industrial manufacturers alongside engineers and processing specialists.

Chemists and materials scientists are two 

types of scientists who help design electric 

vehicles.

Chemists. All chemists investigate the 

properties, composition, and structure of 

matter and the laws that govern the reactions 

of substances to each other. Using this knowledge, chemists working on electric vehicles 

find new chemicals to use in batteries or seek 

ways to improve existing batteries. They work 

closely with engineers and other scientists to 

develop new batteries and other technologies.

Materials scientists. These workers study 

the structures and chemical properties of 

materials to develop new products or enhance 

existing ones. When working on electric 

vehicles, materials scientists usually do battery research.
Summer 2012 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 17

Materials scientists also develop other 

parts of electric vehicles. Structural and 

mechanical parts made out of lighter or stronger materials help to make electric vehicles 

more fuel efficient and reliable.

Occupations in engineering

Engineers help to design and develop electric 

automobile technology. They work in teams 

with other engineers, scientists, and industrial 

production managers to create new processes 

or devices for manufacturing electric vehicles—or to improve existing ones.

Engineers apply the principles of science 

and mathematics to develop economical solutions to technical problems. Many engineers 

produce designs for new products. They start 

by determining the product’s requirements. 

Then, they integrate and test the parts that 

will go into making those products. Finally, 

they evaluate the design’s effectiveness, cost, 

reliability, and safety.

Engineers use computers to produce and 

analyze designs, simulate and test systems, 

and implement quality control processes.

Most engineers work in offices, laboratories, or industrial plants. Engineers are often 

employed by electric vehicle and parts manufacturers.

Several types of engineers—including 

chemical, electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineers—are involved in creating electric vehicles.

Chemical engineers. These workers 

apply the principles of chemistry to design or 

improve equipment and to devise processes 

for manufacturing chemicals and products. 

Batteries of electric vehicles store power 

through chemical processes, so chemical engineers working in this industry develop new 

battery designs and improve current battery 

technologies. They also plan and test ways to 

make new batteries and design equipment and 

processes for manufacturing them.

Electrical engineers. Electrical engineers 

design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical parts. For an electric 

car, they might design the electrical circuitry 

that allows a gas engine to charge a vehicle’s 

battery and distribute the electricity from 

the battery to the electric motor. Electrical 

engineers also might work on the heating and 

air-conditioning systems, vehicle lighting, and 

visual displays.

Industrial engineers. Industrial engineers 

determine how to use people, machines, materials, information, and energy to manufacture 

vehicles efficiently. These engineers work to 

increase productivity by improving management techniques, technology, and production 

methods. Because electric vehicles are so different from conventional vehicles, industrial 

engineers design innovative manufacturing 

processes and retool plants that formerly made 

different models of cars.

Mechanical engineers. Mechanical 

engineers design, develop, and test mechanical devices for electric vehicles. These devices 

may be parts of electric vehicles—such as 

an engine or drivetrain—or they may be the 

machines that are used to make or repair these 

vehicles. Some mechanical engineers focus 

on a particular type of device, such as electric 

motors, transmissions, or steering systems.
18 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2012

Occupations in manufacturing

Manufacturing electric vehicles is complex 

and requires a large, skilled workforce. Electric vehicle systems are more complex than a 

conventional internal combustion engine, so 

they have special manufacturing processes.

Many of the workers who make electric vehicles previously made conventional 

vehicles. Automotive manufacturing occupations are usually clustered around traditional 

industrial centers in the Great Lakes region 

and other areas of the Midwest. The largest 

concentrations of these jobs are in Michigan 

and Ohio, but automobile manufacturers are 

in other states as well.

A few large auto companies make finished 

vehicles. But many of the vehicles’ parts are 

made by smaller companies that specialize in 

individual components. These smaller pieces 

are then sold to the larger auto manufacturers.

Many of the occupations in manufacturing electric vehicles are also involved in manufacturing vehicle charging stations, which 

are necessary for most types of plug-in hybrid 

vehicles and all types of all-electric vehicles.

Manufacturing workers are usually 

employed by large automotive assembly 

plants. These plants are usually noisy because 

they are full of robotic devices, machines, and 

hydraulic lifts.

Safety conditions in assembly plants have 

improved considerably over the past several 

decades. However, manufacturing workers 

might use machinery or chemicals that require 

special handling.

Manufacturing jobs in the electric vehicle 

industry include electrical and electronic 

equipment assemblers, electromechanical 

equipment assemblers, computer-controlled 

machine tool operators, and machinists.

Electrical and electronic equipment 

assemblers. These assemblers build many of 

the parts in electric vehicles, including electric 

motors, computers, electronic control devices, 

and sensing equipment. Some of the parts 

used to make these products are too small 

or fragile to be assembled by people, so they 

are assembled by automated systems. Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers fit 

together the parts of larger components or 

control the automated systems that assemble 

the smaller, more delicate ones.

Electromechanical equipment assemblers. Electromechanical equipment assemblers use a variety of tools to build the electromechanical parts, such as gasoline engines, 

electric motors, and generators, that are used 

in electric vehicles. Their work is similar to 

that of electrical and electronic equipment 

assemblers. However, electromechanical 

equipment assemblers focus more on mechanical parts than on electronics.

Computer-controlled machine tool 

operators. These workers use special computer-controlled machines to make metal and 

plastic parts for electric vehicles. First, they 

set up a machine by downloading a program 

onto the machine’s computer. Next, they 

place the appropriate tools into the machine. 

Then, after positioning the piece that is being 
Summer 2012 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 19

worked on, computer-controlled machine 

tool operators start the machine and oversee 

production of the component.

These workers may also be responsible for 

some maintenance or troubleshooting of the 

machines.

Machinists. Machinists use a variety 

of machine tools, such as lathes, milling 

machines, and grinders, to produce precision 

metal parts for electric vehicles. The process 

of producing large quantities of a single part 

may be partially or fully automated. Machinists monitor both the machines that make 

these parts and the quality of items they 

produce.

Machinists also produce small batches of 

parts or make one-of-a-kind parts for prototypes or testing. If many more pieces are 

needed, they are often mass-produced using 

computer-controlled machines.

Occupations in maintenance

As with any vehicle, electric vehicles need 

occasional maintenance. Much of the routine 

maintenance and repair work that electric 

vehicles need can be done by the same workers who repair conventional vehicles. But 

other tasks require workers who are familiar 

with the parts and technologies that electric 

vehicles use.

Electric vehicle repair workers are 

employed throughout the United States. Many 

work in the service centers of the dealerships 

where electric vehicles are sold. Others work 

in independent repair shops. These shops can 

be noisy or dirty. And repair workers might 

need to lift heavy tools or vehicle parts.

Automotive service technicians and 

mechanics maintain and repair many types 

of cars and light trucks (vans, pickup trucks, 

and sport utility vehicles)—including electric 

ones.

Automotive service technicians and 

mechanics. These workers inspect, maintain, 

and repair cars and light trucks that run on 

gasoline, electricity, or a combination of the 

two. They plan and perform basic car maintenance and vehicle repairs.

The job of automotive service technicians and mechanics has evolved from simple 

mechanical repairs to high-level technologyrelated work. Integrated electronic systems 

and computers regulate vehicles and their 

performance on the road. To fix problems with 

these systems, workers use both computerized 

shop equipment to work with electronic parts 

and traditional hand tools.

Working on all-electric or hybrid-electric 

vehicles requires skills in addition to those 

needed to work on conventional vehicles. 

Automotive service technicians and mechanics must be able to work on high-voltage electrical systems. And they need to be familiar 

with other parts and systems specific to these 

vehicles, such as lithium-ion batteries and 

electric generators.

Some automotive service technicians 

and mechanics might also convert gasoline 

vehicles to electric vehicles or install systems 

to help improve a vehicle’s fuel efficiency.

Occupations in infrastructure development

As plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles 

increase in number, there is a growing need to 
20 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2012

develop a nationwide infrastructure to support 

them. According to the Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology’s study, mentioned 

previously, the largest source of job creation 

related to alternative-fuel vehicles is expected 

to come from building this infrastructure.

Plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles 

require special charging stations. Building new charging stations requires making 

changes to existing infrastructure, including 

increasing power grid capacity to supply the 

electricity these stations need.

Urban and regional planners, electrical 

power-line installers and repairers, and electricians are among the workers who will make 

these infrastructure changes.

Urban and regional planners. These 

workers help to plan and carry out infrastructure upgrades to support electric vehicles. 

Several cities and local governments are 

improving municipal electric systems and 

making public charging stations available to 

electric vehicle owners. Urban and regional 

planners determine how many charging stations are necessary to support a given number 

of vehicles, as well as where to locate them to 

reach the greatest number of people.

Electrical power-line installers and 

repairers. Electrical power-line installers 

and repairers install and maintain the power 

grid—the network of power lines that move 

electricity from generating plants to customers. Owners of electric vehicles need more 

electricity than ordinary consumers. Electrical 

power-line installers set up new lines that are 

capable of handling this increased load.

In addition, many local governments are 

building public charging stations that must be 

fed by new power lines. Installers place the 

new lines and connect them to the grid.

Electricians. Electricians install charging stations and any other electric equipment 

needed to support electric vehicles. They 

attach the charging stations to lines that have 

been put in place by electrical power-line 

installers and ensure that the chargers are 

working properly. When there is a problem 

with the charger, electricians make repairs.

Charging your career

The broad mix of workers in the electric vehicle industry represents a variety of educational 

and employment backgrounds. Despite their 

range of preparation, however, workers have at 

least one thing in common: most receive specialized training to work on electric vehicles.

This section describes sources of industryspecific training for electric vehicle workers. 

In addition to the sources discussed, workers 

also must meet the minimum requirements for 

their occupations. For example, most engineers need a bachelor’s or higher degree in 

engineering; electricians usually must have a 

high school diploma, complete an apprenticeship, and, in many states, be licensed.

Specialized training in electric vehicles 

varies; it may consist of a single course or 

seminar—or significantly more. In some 

cases, training is paid for by employers. 

Because electric vehicle technologies are 

evolving, workers in this industry may need to 

regularly update their skills.

Sources of training include manufacturers, high schools and community colleges, 
Summer 2012 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 21

colleges and universities, and on-the-job training.

Manufacturers. Electric vehicle and 

charging station manufacturers provide 

training on their technologies to workers in 

a variety of occupations. For example, automotive service technicians are certified by 

manufacturers to work on specific models of 

cars or trucks. This training ranges from a few 

days to several weeks.

Electricians go through several days of 

training to be certified by charging station 

manufacturers. And engineers usually must be 

certified in specific systems and technologies, 

depending on the systems a manufacturer 

uses.

High schools and community colleges. 

Programs for automotive service technicians 

and repairers, such as those developed by the 

National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium, train workers on a wide variety of skills 

needed to work on electric or alternative fuel 

vehicles. The consortium provides curricula 

and training to secondary and postsecondary students studying automotive technology, 

as well as to automotive technicians who are 

already working in the field.

Vehicle manufacturers may also offer 

training in collaboration with vocational 

schools and community colleges. Many 

manufacturers and community colleges have 

developed these programs together.

Colleges and universities. Specialized 

programs for engineering students who wish 

to work on electric or alternative fuel vehicles 

are available through the U.S. Department of 

Energy’s Graduate Automotive Technology 

Education initiative. This initiative has educational programs at eight universities nationwide. Programs focus on hybrid propulsion, 

energy storage, and lightweight materials.

On-the-job training. Some workers learn 

skills for working with electric vehicles on 

the job, either by watching more experienced 

workers or through employer-sponsored training. Manufacturing workers, for example, may 

receive short-term on-the-job training on how 

to assemble or produce parts related to these 

vehicles.

Plugging in to 

more information

Read the full BLS report on electric vehicle 

careers, as well as other articles on green 

careers, at www.bls.gov/greencareers.htm.

Learn about the most recent developments 

in electric vehicle technology at www1.eere.

energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels. Another government site, www.fueleconomy.gov, provides 

information on electric and alternative-fuel 

vehicles.

To find out more about the occupations 

in this article, see the Occupational Outlook 

Handbook. The OOH provides information on 

wages, job duties, and training for these and 

hundreds of other occupations. It is available 

at www.bls.gov/ooh.

The Occupational Information Network 

(O*NET) also has information about green 

occupations, including those related to electric vehicles. Lists of these occupations are 

available at www.onetcenter.org/green.

html?p=2.

For more information about manufacturerprovided training programs, contact the 

individual manufacturers of electric vehicles 

or see their websites.

To learn more about engineering programs in electric vehicle technologies, contact any of the U.S. Department of Energy’s 

Graduate Automotive Technology Education 

centers. A list of these colleges and universities is available at www1.eere.energy.gov/

vehiclesandfuels/deployment/education/

fcvt_gate.html.

To learn more about training programs for 

automotive service technicians and repairers, 

contact

National Alternative Fuels Training

Consortium

West Virginia University

1100 Frederick Ln.

Morgantown, WV 26508

(304) 293-7882

naftc@mail.wvu.edu

www.naftc.wvu.edu