NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Bridgestone Retail Operations (BSRO) is adding advanced electric and hybrid vehicle services at Firestone Complete Auto Care and Wheel Works service centers in Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Austin, Texas, as a prelude to a wider rollout of such services.
BSRO, a business unit of Bridgestone Americas, said it will add the electric and hybrid services at 44 Firestone Complete Auto Care and Wheel Works service centers in Austin and San Francisco, and in a separate but related move in partnership with Blink Charging Co., is planning to install "Level 2" plug-in electric-vehicle charging stations at 25 Firestone Complete Auto Care and Wheel Works stores in the targeted markets, where the current volume and growth of electric vehicles is described as "significant."
There may be some overlap between the two initiatives, BSRO said without elaborating.
The expanded services are part of the company's initiative to address an increasingly electric car parc and contribute to a more sustainable society. The company did not disclose its investment in the initiative.
BSRO said EV services account for less than 10% of service revenue at Bridgestone's retail operations nationwide, but demand is expected to increase significantly by the end of the decade. Level 2 charging stations provide faster battery charging times — three to eight hours to full versus 11 to 20 hours for the average Level 1 charger — and require a 208- to 240-volt, 40-amp circuit.
It is estimated that battery electric and hybrid vehicles will represent more than half of the overall U.S. car parc by 2030, BSRO said, noting that the number of electric vehicle models in the U.S. is expected to increase to over 200 by 2026, up from 50 in 2019.
"It's an exciting time to be in the automotive service industry as mobility evolves to be cleaner and more sustainable," BSRO President Marko Ibrahim.
"We truly believe what's good for society is good for business, which is why we are increasing our investments in plug-in vehicle services in two key markets with plans to expand further in the future. The steps we take now will ensure we are the service provider of choice for new-energy vehicles," he said.
The EV and hybrid-vehicle services offered in Austin and San Francisco consist of inspections, diagnostics, maintenance and repairs involving high-voltage components, including health checks and troubleshooting for batteries, electric motors and electrical systems.
Bridgestone offers low-voltage hybrid and battery electric vehicle services at its 2,250,Firestone Complete Auto Care, Tires Plus, Hibdon Tires Plus and Wheel Works retail stores nationwide. The company also implements basic and advanced safety training for work on hybrid and electric vehicles at all technician levels.
Bridgestone retail stores further contribute to the company's sustainability goals through a recycling program that resulted in diverting 12.7 million tires, 5.6 million pounds of scrap metal and 18.1 million metal drums from landfills in 2020, the company said, in addition to reducing paper use equivalent to the trees in New York City's Central Park.
