Fast Lane: Long-range Tesla with 750km range, Hyundai donates Ioniq 5 to SUTD, Xpeng partners Charge+

750km Tesla with signal stalk

The Tesla Model 3 has gone through a hardware update with the return of the conventional turn signal stalk and the introduction of a front bumper-mounted camera. The American electric car brand also added the Model 3 Long Range RWD version, which can travel up to 750km on a single charge, from 520km of the Rear-Wheel Drive version.

The signal stalk was replaced by two buttons on the left steering wheel spoke when the popular electric car was facelifted in 2024. The front-facing camera is meant to enhance visibility for greater safety and easier parking.

The new Long Range RWD version uses an 82kWh lithium-ion battery, instead of the 60kWh lithium iron phosphate battery (LFP) on the regular Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive.

Besides the larger capacity, the battery is lighter. So, overall, the Model 3 Long Range RWD weighs 1,747kg, which is 13kg less than the regular model. The new version also has a higher maximum charging speed of 250kW compared with 175kW of the standard RWD model.

The Model 3 Long Range RWD retails for $102,215, which is $12,129 more than the standard Rear-Wheel Drive version. Prices exclude the cost of a Category B certificate of entitlement (COE).

Hyundai donates research vehicle

Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre Singapore has donated an Ioniq 5 electric car to the Singapore University of Technology and Design. The car is meant to support the next stage of Project Evam (Electric Vehicle by Additive Manufacturing), which is a student-led initiative.

Projects planned include repurposing the powertrain components from the Hyundai. In the longer term, the students will also adapt the Ioniq 5’s chassis components for the Project Evam car and repurpose the electric car’s battery pack and management system for research.

Xpeng partners Charge+

By the end of 2025, Xpeng cars sold in Singapore will be able to access charging services by Charge+ from the infotainment system. It will also be possible to start and stop charging from the Chinese electric car brand’s app.

In addition, the cars will be able to access Charge+’s network of chargers here and beyond to enable long-distance driving. This is made possible through a partnership between the charging service operator and the carmaker.

The initiative promises to have at least 20 direct current charging sites across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, rated at up to 480kW, which is sufficient to make the most of the Xpeng G6’s 451kW peak charging power. This will be done in phases, starting with four charging sites – two in Singapore, one in KL Eco City in Kuala Lumpur and another at One Bangkok in Bangkok.

Other car brands have also been integrating the charging experience into their cars. In January, Mercedes-Benz launched the MB.Charge feature, which allows owners to locate and initiate charging at over 3,000 charging points by three charging operators – Charge+, SP Group and Volt Singapore.

Charge and reward

Charging service operator SP Mobility has introduced a three-tier rewards programme which lets users earn points when plugging in their electric cars. The points can then be used to offset future charging sessions.

All users start on the basic Green tier. Those who spend more on charging are bumped up to the higher tiers (Silver and Gold), which translate to more charging credits for every dollar spent. The tiering, whether an upgrade or downgrade, is reviewed every quarter.

By end-October, users of SP’s charging app will be able to locate, initiate charging and pay for the service in Malaysia through a partnership with JomCharge, a Malaysian operator.