Train Before It Rolls In: Tom Pacheco on EV Readiness, High Voltage Safety, and Building the Next Tech Pipeline

EVs are already showing up in independent repair shops, but Tom Pacheco is not here to scare owners into becoming an EV specialty shop overnight. His message is more practical than that: start with safety, train your people, and build readiness before the wrong vehicle rolls into the bay. In this Expert Spotlight episode, David and Paul sit down with Tom Pacheco, founder of ZEVTech Consulting and executive director of ASA Colorado, to talk about what independent shops really need to know about EVs, hybrids, alternative fuel vehicles, and high voltage systems. Tom breaks down the simple rule every shop should understand first: do not touch anything orange unless you know exactly what it is. From there, he explains why EV readiness starts with low voltage fundamentals, proper disconnect procedures, PPE, gloves, meters, OEM information, and hands-on training that proves a technician can actually do the work safely. This conversation also goes beyond EVs. Tom shares how ASA Colorado is helping shops access training, grants, community college partnerships, internships, and apprenticeship pipelines so the industry can develop the next generation instead of waiting for unicorn techs to appear. If you are a shop owner wondering what EV training is actually worth it, how much you should invest, or how to prepare your team without turning your whole business upside down, this episode is a clear, calm, and practical place to start. Links: Honest Mechanic Marketing (HMM): https://honestmechanicmarketing.com/ ZEVTech Consulting: https://electricvehicletechniciantraining.com/ Automotive Service Association of Colorado- ASA CO: https://asacolorado.org/