Charging ahead.

With a host of advantages including long-term cost savings and a more positive environmental impact, it is little wonder that more people are thinking of making the switch to electric vehicles (EVs).

If you want to get an electric car but are not sure what to look out for, here’s a handy guide to explain the key things you need to know.

1. Difference in EV driving experience

Car enthusiasts might have mixed feelings about EV ownership. EVs have minimal noise and drama, without a “true” driving feel that petrol cars have. On the other hand, the quick acceleration and instant torque of EVs is a huge draw.

If you are looking for a quiet, relaxing, and comfortable ride, then EVs are your best option. Just note EVs are usually heavier than the petrol or diesel equivalent. Therefore, it is advisable to test drive before purchasing – to get a feel for the way it handles differently.

There is also a feature called ‘regenerative braking’ in EVs. It is there to recharge the batteries and activates when you lift off the accelerator and slow the car down. This is a very useful feature but may take some getting used to at first.

2. EV battery range

One cannot talk about EVs without looking at the battery range. Depending on how far you typically drive every month, check against the range of the EV to see if it is sufficient for your needs.

An EV can range from 150km to over 500km on a full charge. With the average Singapore motorist travelling just above 50km per day, most EVs will offer more than enough range. Nonetheless, if you massively dislike making trips to the charging station, look for an EV with a higher battery capacity.

Electric cars like the recently launched Peugeot e-2008 offers a range of up to 345km while the BYD e6 has an advertised range of up to 522km. The new BMW i7 xDrive60 boasts an impressive range of up to 625km for a single charge.

Do note that the actual range will vary depending on factors such as your driving speed, style, and even how hot the weather is.

>>READ: Get the most range out of your electric vehicle

3. EV charging capabilities and limitations

Slow or fast-charging? AC or DC? You might be confused with the options offered at EV charging stations.

First, check if your EV can support fast as well as slow charging. With slow charging of 3.7kW or 7.4kW, you will typically need to plug in your EV overnight to charge up. If you are not in a hurry, slow charging makes sense as it reduces battery wear and tear.

But realistically, most of us will be looking at the AC (43kW) and DC (usually 50kW or more) charging options in Singapore.

With AC charging, the speed depends on the maximum power output of your EV onboard charger. If your EV onboard charger is limited to 11 kWh, then that is the charging speed even if the external charging station offers 43kWh.

DC charging is much faster as batteries in EVs are already equipped to store power as DC and can support higher voltage speeds.

Taking the BYD e6 as an example, the maximum charging speed is 60kW for DC and 40kW for AC. This means you can charge up the BYD e6 from 5% to 100% in around 1.5 hours on a DC 60kW charger and less than 2 hours on an AC 40kW charger.

4. EV charging locations

Worried that you won’t find a place to charge the EV easily? Fret not.

Operators such as Shell Recharge, SP Group and Charge+ have EV charging stations located at petrol stations, public carparks and malls across the island. There is also a concerted push by the Land Transport Authority to have at least 12,000 charging points in 2,000 HDB carparks by 2025. By 2030, the target goes up to 60,000 charging points across the island.

>>READ: 4 major misconceptions about electric vehicles

Some car brands also offer EV charging packages if you are their EV customers. For example, BMW i7 customers can sign up for either a comprehensive home or public charging package. For home charging, customers can have a wall-mounted AC charger (rate of up to 11kW) installed for free. For public charging, the subscription package is 10,000 kWh for 3 years at Shell Recharge stations with no monthly cap for charging.

5. Higher upfront price but long-term cost-savings

Most electric cars do cost more than their petrol counterparts. But if you do the math, switching to an electric vehicle can lower your costs over time.

Electricity charges are lower than petrol costs. Maintaining an EV is also much simpler as it has fewer moving parts and is more reliable. There’s no need to change the oil or replace the gasket, spark plugs and fluids for example. It will be substantially cheaper when it comes to servicing your EV.

>>READ: More misconceptions about electric vehicles

6. Whole country is going green

Well, that’s the plan or more specifically, the Singapore Green Plan 2030. As part of this sustainability initiative, the country aims to electrify the vehicle population through a mixture of regulations and incentives.

Briefly:

• From 2025 – Singapore will cease the registration of diesel-powered cars and taxis.
• From 2030 – All new car registrations will have to be clean energy models such as hybrid or fully electric vehicles.
• By 2040 – All internal combustion engine vehicles will be phased out.
• To encourage early adopters, there are various schemes to incentivise you to make the switch to EVs.

Until 31 December 2023:

• Newly registered EVs will get a 45 per cent rebate (capped at $20,000) off the Additional Registration Fee (ARF).
• The ARF floor has also been reduced to $0 from $5,000.
• You can also enjoy a $25,000 rebate for Band A1 cars and $15,000 rebate for Band A2 cars.

In addition:

• Road tax for fully electric cars (a.k.a battery electric vehicles) has been lowered in the 90-230kW bracket.
• The maximum power output threshold for Category A COE cars has been revised from 97kW to 110kW, opening the category to more mass market EVs.

Easier to make the switch to an EV

At the end of the day, the push to make the change to EV as smooth as possible is gaining momentum. More and more EVs are also being rolled out every month, from luxury models to those that cater to the mass market. In Singapore, you definitely have plenty of fully-electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid EVs to choose from.

Factoring the points above, we hope you will be in a better position to make an informed decision about making the switch to an electric vehicle!

Made up your mind about switching to an electric car? Check out some EV models from BMW, BYD and Peugeot. 

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References:

• Land Transport Authority: “Our EV Vision” and “Transitioning to EVs“
• Singapore Green Plan 2030