14 Jul 2021

5 facts about electric vehicles you didn’t know

You may have heard about electric vehicles in the news or seen BlueSG vehicles plying the roads lately. While they may sound like a good idea, can they stand up to the distances Singaporean drivers normally travel? Is it even feasible to get one in Singapore?

We look at what the term Electric Vehicles really means, how they work, and how you can go about financing a loan for one - it really is not as daunting as it sounds.

Here are five things you may not already know about Electric Vehicles:

1. Did you know: Electric vehicles do not necessarily refer to Battery Electric Vehicles?

There are three main different types of Electric Vehicles classified by the types of petrol they use:

Hybrid Electric Vehicles are powered by both an internal combustion engine and electric motor that is recharged through regenerative braking. The LTA describes these types of vehicles as Petrol-Electric according to the type of fuel used
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles are powered by an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. The electric motor is recharged by “plugging in” to an external source of electrical power. The LTA describes these types of vehicles as Petrol-Electric (Plug-in) according to the type of fuel used
Battery Electric Vehicles are fully powered by an electric motor that requires recharging through an external source of electrical power. The LTA describes these types of vehicles as Electric according to the type of fuel used

The next time you read about an electric vehicle, you will know to ask which category it belongs to.

2. Battery Electric Vehicles can go far with each charge

The main purpose of owning a vehicle is getting from point A to point B seamlessly. Just like how we do not like our mobile phones to run out of juice, our vehicle should not either.

That’s not to say Battery Electric Vehicles are not capable of going the distance. Most in the market are able to support 342 kilometres¹ - the average distance Singaporeans drive a week, according to LTA. Additionally, hybrid vehicles - such as the ones mentioned above - are able to go further than that.

3. There are cost incentives to owning a Battery Electric Vehicle

Is it true that owning a battery electric vehicle will mean higher costs in the long run? Not necessarily.

Singapore has implemented Vehicle Emission Schemes rebates² to encourage the adoption of cleaner vehicles. By choosing a battery electric vehicle, you could save a few thousand dollars right off the bat. Besides, a full charge for an entry level battery electric vehicle model typically costs under S$11, and this should last for about a week for average car owners.

Another point to consider: Battery electric vehicles have fewer parts than normal cars. As such, you may not need as many servicing visits³, leading to even more cost savings.

4. Charge ahead: The number of chargers in Singapore is growing faster than the number of battery electric vehicles on the road

We’ve all encountered this scenario - your laptop or mobile phone is running out of battery and there isn’t a charger in sight. When it comes to your vehicle, there naturally is a similar concern - what if I can’t find a charger?

The good news: Singapore is now home to more than 1,900 electric car charging points and 1,400 of these can be found in public carparks⁴. This number is set to grow to 60,000 by 2030, and car owners can look forward to finding electric vehicle charging points at every HDB car park in these 8 towns by 2025: Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Choa Chu Kang, Jurong West, Punggol, Queenstown, Sembawang, and the up-coming Tengah town⁵.

According to VMLY&R Chief Innovation Officer Keith Timimi, projections show the growth of chargers is significantly faster than the growth of electric vehicles - which likely means no long waits when you need to charge your car.

One also does not necessarily have to wait a long time to wait for their vehicles to be fully charged. In 2018, ComfortDelGro announced that it would introduce charging stations that will take a mere 30 minutes to fully charge an electric vehicle⁶. That’s even faster than charging your phone!

5. Financing for electric vehicles is no different to your usual car loan

Last but not least, securing financing is a crucial step to getting a new vehicle. It is a common misconception that getting a loan for an electric vehicle is more arduous as compared with one for a normal car - but that is not true today.

Getting a new car soon? Check out POSB Car Loan.

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