Only firms and organisations involved in cost, performance, durability test
Christopher Tan Straits Times 26 Jun 11;
A long-awaited trial to test the durability, running cost and long-term performance of all-electric cars here was plugged in and switched on yesterday.
That was when the Energy Market Authority (EMA) and Land Transport Authority (LTA) flagged off nine battery-powered cars: four Smart two-seaters from Daimler and five Mitsubishi iMiEVs.
All in, the EV (electric vehicle) test fleet will have about 90 vehicles, comprising 25 iMiEVs and 20 Smarts, plus an assortment of models from Renault, Nissan and possibly other manufacturers.
Most of these cars will be arriving from next month to next year.
The $20 million, three-year trial is open only to companies and organisations, not individuals.
For now, the cars will juice up at five charging stations set up by Bosch. It will expand its network as more such vehicles arrive.
Cost-wise, it is just as well that this test is a restricted one. Despite the tax-free status of the electric test fleet, the all-in costs - compared to those for similar-size petrol-driven cars - will not appeal to common folk, even if they are environmentally conscious.
First off, the cars are costly, even without the taxes and levies that conventional cars attract here. A Mitsubishi iMiEV test car, for instance, is around $90,000 - about the price of a slightly bigger petrol-driven Honda Jazz.
The Smart two-seater, which is not for sale, leases for $1,400 a month. The rate is similar to that of a full-size Korean family sedan.
Next, unlike most cars here, electric cars are not entitled to any scrap rebate.
Also, there is a $1,600-a-year special fee that users have to pay, which is more than the road tax of many mid-size cars.
As for running costs, a flat monthly charge of $180 is levied for using Bosch's electric stations; that is equivalent to what many small petrol cars incur monthly at the pumps.
Insurance rates are also slightly higher than the coverage for normal cars.
Still, the LTA and EMA seemed optimistic at yesterday's flag-off. LTA chief executive Chew Hock Yong said: 'We are encouraged by the support of the business community for this test-bed.'
Firms that signed up for the cars are Clean Mobility Singapore, Daimler South East Asia, GP Batteries, Mitsubishi Corp, Mitsubishi Electric Asia, Mitsubishi Elevator Asia, Senoko Energy Supply, and Vestas Asia Pacific Wind Technology.
The LTA and the Ministry of Manpower also signed up.
EMA chief executive Chee Hong Tat said: 'The purpose of the electric vehicle test-bed is to gain a better understanding of EV technologies, business models and user preferences which will give us more information to determine the feasibility of using EVs in Singapore.'
At the end of the three years, the Government will decide if it is worthwhile to incentivise the use of EVs, and if so, how sizeable its incentives should be.
Observers feel that electric vehicles are non-starters without government carrots, as they cost twice the price of normal cars or more.
Motorist Shreejit Changaroth, 54, added that makers of electric vehicles need to overcome two other hurdles: their range and charging time.
Right now, most can cover only 200km or less on a full recharge, which takes around eight hours at a normal charging point and 45 minutes at a high-voltage quick-charger.
'I often clock over 100km a day,' the engineer said. 'I come home late, and sometimes, I even forget to charge my cellphone.'
Most drivers here clock less than 60km a day. But the main proposition of electric cars is their relative 'greenness'.
The EMA reckons electric cars charged by electricity generated from natural gas power stations (as is the case in Singapore) will account for 66 per cent less carbon dioxide than petrol equivalents.
After all, electric motors are more efficient than fossil fuel-driven engines.
Singapore launches electric vehicle test-bed
Wayne Chan Channel NewsAsia 25 Jun 11;
SINGAPORE: Singapore is testing out several electric vehicle (EV) prototypes and technologies. The inter-agency Electric Vehicle Taskforce announced the launch of the electric vehicle test-bed on Saturday.
The taskforce is led by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
The aim of the test-bed is to test and gauge different EV prototypes and charging technologies, given Singapore's urbanised environment and road conditions, before deciding whether to roll it out for mass use.
For a start, the test-bed will be at three outdoor and two indoor charging stations and involve five Mitsubishi i-MiEVs and four smart electric drive Daimler vehicles.
Starting from just nine, the number of electric cars taking part in this test-bed is expected to grow to 95 before the trial ends in 2013. By then, there will also be 63 charging stations.
Five of these stations are ready and will also start collecting data on charging patterns as part of the test-bed.
The test-bed will provide insights to guide the planning for future deployment of EVs. The data will also help determine the optimal ratio of charging stations to vehicles.
Explained LTA's chief executive Chew Hock Yong: "One example would be how the battery fares in the local environment. We'll be collecting data at the charging points. So, things like how often the cars are charged and how much electricity they use up....will allow us to determine how efficient the car is in a local environment."
The charging stations have been designed to automatically collect data on the charging patterns of EV test-bed participants.
The National University of Singapore's Energy Studies Insititute has been appointed to lead a Cost Benefit Analysis on the data.
Other things that the test-bed will look at are vehicles operability and cost, suitability of the business model, driving experience and barriers to adoption, consumer's acceptance, level of penetration of electric vehicles at current and proposed level of incentives and the level of infrastructure development required to meet the expected demand from EVs in the coming years.
The charging stations will be installed near the homes or offices of test-bed participants and it will cost them a flat rate of S$180 per month for unlimited charging of their electric vehicles.
After a full charge of over eight hours, electric cars, which are twice as energy efficient as normal ones, can run for about 90km to 160km. This is about twice the daily driving distance in Singapore, which is around 55km in Singapore.
The first batch of participants will include the LTA, Ministry of Manpower, Mitsubishi Corporation and Senoko Energy. The Electric Vehicle Taskforce hopes more will come on board.
EMA's chief executive Chee Hong Tat said that Singapore is an ideal location for the test-bed.
"One advantage that we have is that we are a small compact urbanised environment, which makes it in a way, convenient. Your travelling distances are not too long. It's not difficult for you to set up charging stations around the island."
Interested companies that want to buy an electric vehicle to participate in the test-bed can apply for the Enhanced Technology Innovation and Development Scheme (TIDES-PLUS) which waives all vehicle taxes such as Additional Registration Fees (ARF), Certificate of Entitlement (COE), road tax and excise duty for six years.
The LTA said the cost of buying a Mitsubishi i-MiEV, for example, is about S$90,000, after waiving vehicle taxes under the TIDES-PLUS scheme.
The tests will be conducted until the end of 2013.
- CNA/ir/ac
