Cino Auto Repair of Stoney Creek is ready for an electric future with Napa NexDrive

Cino Auto Repair has been selected as one of the few selected candidates in Canada to become an EV center under the Napa NexDrive banner.

Serge and Lui Cino and the technicians at Cino Auto Repair have no fears about Canada’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs).

Stoney Creek has been selected as one of the few selected candidates in Canada to become an EV center under the Napa NexDrive banner.

First announced on Earth Day, April 22, at the Montreal Electric Vehicle Show, NexDrive is a network of automotive service centers focused on next-generation vehicles. NexDrive is also Napa’s flagship program for electric vehicle training and development.

Serge Cino, co-owner of Cino Auto Repair with his brother, Lui, said the company is embracing the shift to electric vehicles and also hopes to help customers navigate the transition.

“Electric vehicles are on the horizon, and Cino Auto Repair and Napa are teaming up to ensure everyone’s needs will be met for the foreseeable future,” Serge said.

Also on Earth Day 2022, the federal government announced it will adopt a sales mandate to ensure that at least 20% of new passenger vehicles sold in Canada will be zero emissions by 2026. This number is expected to increase to 60 percent. 100% by 2030 and finally 100% by 2035.

Although internal combustion engines will not disappear in the short term, Serge and Lui believe that now is the time to adapt to technological change. The store has already serviced a handful of electric vehicles.

“It’s important that we get on board,” said Serge. “We don’t want to be a dinosaur. I do not predict that the combustion gas engine will be phased out so quickly. But the government and manufacturers have already put deadlines in place, which will impact product availability. »

Cino Auto Repair was the first in Stoney Creek to achieve Drive Clean certification according to a 1999 Stoney Creek News article, investing over $140,000 in two-phase test equipment, in addition to countless hours of training the personal.

Serge anticipates another rigorous round of training and investment under the NexDrive banner, but believes the company and its staff are up to the challenge.

“We want to be ready,” he said. “This industry has changed, and it will continue to be a high-tech, thought-provoking environment.”

Generally speaking, Serge noted that electric vehicles require less maintenance than gasoline-powered vehicles. With electric vehicles, there are no oil changes or spark plugs to replace, and the only fluids to manage are coolant, brake fluid and windshield washer fluid.

“It will be more high-tech, like computer reprogramming, electrical wiring issues, sensors and things like that,” Serge said. “So it’s evolving into a high-tech industry.”

Serge said Napa Autopro was recently named the Best Aftermarket Store for Customer Satisfaction for Repair or Maintenance by JD Power. With that in mind, he is confident that the Napa NexDrive program will give technicians all the training and expertise needed to succeed.

“Napa NexDrive is developing training for Autopro facilities to safely maintain electric vehicles and ensure manufacturer warranties are met with the appropriate certified technicians and services,” Serge noted.

“As with Drive Clean in the 90s, we were the first certified in the area, and we were chosen from Napa NexDrive as one of the first candidates to work for our shop and our technician certification so that we could serve our customers properly in the future”, added Serge.

Serge and Lui would like to thank Matyn John, Jason Miller and Zak and Steve Kreiger for their support in adapting the Auto Pro program in the future.

Comments are closed.