The scheme bases its rebate and surcharge rates on the CO2 emissions of a registered vehicle. Each category is labelled as a“ band” and corresponds to the level of CO2, hydrocarbons( HC), carbon monoxide( CO), nitrogen oxides( NOx), and particulate matter( PM) emitted by the registered vehicle. Vehicles under Band C2, or the category with the most vehicle emissions, receive no rebates but must pay surcharges of up to SGD 25,000( AUD 30,754) for passenger vehicles and SGD 37,500( AUD 46,132) for taxis. Conversely, vehicles with the lowest emissions and in the highest tier, the A band receive rebates of the same amount for C2 surcharges.
To supplement the surge in EVs, the Singaporean government also launched the EV Common Charger Grant( ECCG) in 2021. Through the ECCG, government will co-fund the installation of 3,500 EV chargers in non-landed private residences( NLPR).
“ As NLPRs form a significant proportion of residences in Singapore, improving charger provision and access is an important step towards improving the coverage of Singapore’ s national EV charging network,” said the LTA on their official website.
The ECCG program operates on a first-come, first-served basis. It will be active until 2026 or until 3,500 EV chargers have been installed under the programme. As of 2024, Singapore recorded a total of 6,200 EV chargers across 700 parking lots on the island.
The results of these policies are visible in Singapore’ s new car registrations for 2024. For the year 2024, 14,448 new EVs were registered— more than 50 per cent of 2023’ s 5,467 registered new EVs. 70 percent or 6,191 of these new EVs were from BYD, a 337 per cent increase from the same period in 2023. In this case, BYD beat out Singapore’ s longtime top spot-holder, Toyota, and their main competitor, Tesla.
Despite high sales and policy support, some Singaporean citizens are still hesitant to switch to EVs. Car registration is considered a pricey investment and a barrier for Singaporeans to purchase vehicles. The car registration scheme was created by the Singaporean government to encourage its citizens to use public transportation over private vehicles. While EVs and hybrids are considered expensive compared to ICE vehicles, adding the cost of registration may make it daunting for the regular Singaporean.
EV drivers in Singapore were surveyed about their experiences in Singapore. Some reported that the cost of charging and the low availability of charging ports are inconvenient. Others find that Singapore’ s“ political and regulatory landscape” regarding EVs are unclear. Lastly, some reported that while public EV charging costs are expensive, the general safety of their vehicles during charging and the length of time needed to charge are also notable concerns.
THAILAND Known as the“ Auto King of Asia,” Thailand has long been a strong presence in the global automotive industry. The kingdom, despite its current car market crisis, remains in position as the number one auto manufacturing hub in Southeast Asia. In terms of EV manufacturing, however, Thailand is working towards becoming number one in the region.
To support this goal, the Thai government created the 30 @ 30 strategy— a national goal wherein 30 per cent of the country’ s manufactured vehicles should be EVs by the year 2030. Part of this strategy is the BEV 3.5 Policy in December 2023. Starting in 2024 and ending in 2027, this policy includes a set of subsidies and tax incentives for BEV manufacturers and importers. This policy applies to all BEV vehicles— passenger, pick-up trucks, and motorcycles— regardless of origin, imported or locally assembled.
12 ISSUE 52 APRIL 2025 / WWW. AFMA. ORG. AU