Singapore's first electric-vehicle car-sharing programme to roll out from December

A BlueSG electric car in Science Park Drive on Sept 27, 2017. ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG
A man is seen at the charging point behind a BlueSG electric car. . ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
BlueSG electric cars being charged in Science Park Drive on Sept 27, 2017. ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG

SINGAPORE - The nation's first electric-vehicle (EV) car-sharing programme will roll out progressively from December.

Through it, Singaporeans will be able to rent a French-made battery-powered car from multiple locations across the island, such as their neigbourhood carpark, drive it, and return the vehicle at a charging station near their destination.

A total of 30 EV charging stations - in public housing estates, the city, and in industrial and commercial estates - have been identified for a start, with ground-breaking works for their installation to start at the end of September.

These stations will offer a total of 120 charging points, with 80 shared EVs to be available to the public in December.

These details were jointly revealed on Wednesday (Sept 27) by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and BlueSG, the subsidiary of France's Bollore Group, which will build the charging facilities and supply the vehicles.

Under an agreement signed between the LTA, the Economic Development Board and BlueSG last year, the plan is to roll out 1,000 electric cars with 2,000 charging points across the island by 2020.

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The towns identified by the LTA and BlueSG to receive the charging points first include Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Jurong East, Tampines and Woodlands.

On Wednesday (Sept 27), BlueSG officially opened its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Science Park Drive. The hub will house over 30 employees by the end of the year.

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