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Lee Nian Tjoe

Senior Transport Correspondent

Nian Tjoe’s first article was published in 1999. He was with SPH Magazines for eight years, before working for 11 years in communications. He joined The Straits Times in 2022 as a senior transport correspondent. When he is not pounding the streets – walking, cycling or riding, aboard a bus or train, or behind the wheel – Nian Tjoe puts together the Motoring section of the newspaper and hosts a podcast on transport issues.

Latest articles

Fast Lane: Highlights of Japan Mobility Show include reinvented Toyota Corolla, Mazda RX-8 hybrid

ntfast31 - Toyota - Toyota Corolla Concept .

Credit: Toyota

Car review: Toyota Noah arrives after flood of demand

The Toyota Noah on Oct 15, 2025.

BYD, the top-selling car brand in Singapore, widens lead over Toyota

BYD is poised to end 2025 with a sales record in Singapore as it extends its lead over Toyota.

COE quota to increase by 1.5% for November to January period

Generic photo of cars and motor vehicles on CTE expressway near 95 Whampoa Drive taken on Oct 17, 2025.

Can be used for transport, car, traffic, COE stories.

Fast Lane: Alpine U-turns on going fully electric, Cupra’s one-millionth car, S’pore Motorshow in 2026

Alpine A110 R.

Car review: BYD Sealion 7 cashes in on the COE system

ntbyd17 - The BYD Sealion 7 Dynamic tested on Oct 5, 2025.

Credit: Lee Nian Tjoe

Cat A COE premium dips 4.8% to $122,000 after three successive highs; Cat B rate falls 6.5%

This is the first dip in Cat A prices after the category hit records over the past three tenders.

Nearly 20,000 missed ERP charges settled through ERP on-board units in September

Some 19,800 out of the 40,200 missed ERP payments were settled via the on-board unit, said the Land Transport Authority on Oct 19.

Fast Lane: BYD’s 1826, Leapmotor debuts, Mercedes-Maybach’s SG60 limo, retro Skoda design

ntfast17 - Wheel Insights speak to the co-founders of 1826 in the Oct episode of the podcast. 

Credit: ST Podcast

A restaurant that also serves BYD EVs

Part-restaurant, part-car dealership, how 1826 sells 250 EVs a month.