Why is the adoption of electric vehicles still low in Singapore?

The executive of an electric vehicle (EV) company says the requirement for EV shifters is costly.

While Singaporeans are ready to switch from gasoline-powered cars to electric vehicles (EVs), there are still factors holding them back. More than half of Lion City motorists plan to move away from fossil fuel vehicles and use EV instead in the future, a 2022 Epson study showed. Government data also revealed that new electric car registrations, even more than doubled in 2021.

Despite this will, Cecilia Ku, manufacturing company, managing director of Delta Electronics, said these numbers for adoption of electric vehicles in Singapore are “still very low”. Epson’s Climate Reality Barometer reported less than 20% shifted to electric vehicles.

Ku said one of the hurdles slowing the shift to electric vehicles is the expensive Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for such vehicles, which grants an individual the right to own and drive a vehicle in Singapore. According to ride-sharing company Grab, the COE “even costs more than the car itself.”

“I hope the government can look into the WCC as well. It’s because everyone is talking about how COE is still very expensive,” Ku said. Singapore Business Review on the sidelines of the Industrial Transformation ASIA-PACIFIC 2022 organized at the Singapore Expo.

Consulting firm KPMG also expressed the same sentiments, saying the the government has more space to introduce policies for EV users amid high car ownership costs due to taxes and COE.

Government subsidies to accelerate EV adoption are Singapore’s EV Early Adoption Incentive (EEAI) and Vehicular Emissions Scheme (VES), which can help consumers save up to $45,000 on the cost of purchase of a new EV.

October 2022 data from the Automobile Association of Singapore showed that the COE for electric vehicles up to 110 kilowatts (KW) costs $81,089, while the COE for electric vehicles over 110 KW is worth $110. $000.

Build more EV infrastructure

To speed up EV registrations in Singapore, KPMG has encouraged more infrastructure, which can solve the range anxiety of EV drivers. Range anxiety refers to the fear that an electric vehicle will not be charged enough on the road.

“I hope with the infrastructure built in Singapore, it can bring more convenience, so that drivers will switch from diesel car to the car you share with us in the future,” Ku said.

Among Delta’s EV solutions are energy storage systems and the Delta Green platform, shared by Ku.

She said these platforms will increase the energy demand of electric vehicle loads and monitor the energy intake and consumption by the electric car.

“I think it’s a way for Delta to already help the government and operators in Singapore overcome the limitations posed by infrastructure,” Ku said.

Delta also introduced EV chargers, including the AC charger, which has an output power of 7 to 22KW. AC charger refers to trickle charging, which is for commercial and household charging.

AC chargers can be used in single-family homes, apartments, and multi-unit workspaces. It can charge an electric vehicle for four to eight hours.

Referred to as a “fast charger”, the DC charger has an output power ranging from 25KW to 200KW. It can optimize the operating costs of public and commercial charging services, especially in sites with limited space.

DC chargers can be installed for retail and hospitality sites, commercial workplaces and fleets. It can charge from one to four hours.

DC High Power chargers can be installed in car parks, gas stations and intercity charging networks. It can charge an EV for 10-30 minutes.