Fast Lane: Renault’s electric hot hatch, Proton returns, new e-Day Licence, Wheel Insights podcast
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The Renault 5 Turbo 3E boasts 500hp going to the rear axle and takes 3.5 seconds to get to 100kmh from rest.
PHOTO: RENAULT
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Renault’s retro mega hatch
Dressed in the brand’s classic yellow and white livery – similar in style to its classic Formula One racers – is the Renault 5 Turbo 3E, a dual-motor electric vehicle (EV) inspired by the 5 Turbo that was launched in 1980.
To be launched in 2025, the car has two electric motors with a combined output of 500hp that drives the rear tyres. Apart from the claimed 0 to 100kmh sprint timing of 3.5 seconds, Renault did not give further details about the car.
The Turbo is the latest in a slew of retro-inspired models from the French carmaker, including the 5 that was launched at the 2024 Geneva Motor Show in February and is meant to be an affordable EV hatchback.
Locally, the French brand continues to offer only the Kangoo E-tech, which is an electric van.
Proton’s saga restarts
The Proton e.Mas is motor group Vincar’s second distributorship after securing GAC Aion in April.
PHOTO: AFP
Proton, Malaysia’s national car brand, is set to return to Singapore in early 2025, with its EV brand known as Proton e.Mas. Singapore motor group Vincar announced it clinched the distributorship rights for Singapore on Dec 16. This is Vincar’s second brand after launching GAC Aion from China in April.
The first model will be the 7 sport utility vehicle (SUV) and the showroom will be in Leng Kee Road.
The mid-sized SUV is the brand’s first EV since Chinese automotive group Geely bought into the Proton in 2017. At the model’s launch in Malaysia on Dec 16, two single-motor versions of the 7 were announced – one with a 49.5kWh battery that gives a range of 345km and a 60.2kWh battery that delivers up to 410km of range.
Other than Singapore, the Proton e.Mas will also be introduced in Trinidad and Tobago, Mauritius and Nepal in 2025.
Proton was last sold in Singapore in 2014 through a subsidiary of the car manufacturer, before Geely took a stake in the company and revamped its products. Besides Proton e.Mas, other brands in Singapore that are Geely-owned include Lotus, Polestar, Smart, Volvo and Zeekr.
Classic vehicle day licence goes electronic
Cars registered under the classic and vintage vehicle schemes will switch to the electronic day licence from Jan 1, 2025, replacing the paper version.
PHOTO: ST FILE
From Jan 1, 2025, an electronic day licence (e-Day Licence) replaces the paper version for owners who want to use their cars that are registered under the classic car scheme, identified by their red-and-yellow registration plates.
Previously, the paper licences had to be purchased in person from the Land Transport Authority’s customer service centre in Sin Ming Drive.
The usage terms remain unchanged. Owners have 28 free e-Day licences a calendar year with the option to buy up to 17 additional days at the cost of $20 a licence for each calendar year.
It is possible to cancel or change the usage date of the e-Day Licence.
Open to vehicles that are at least 35 years old from their original registration date, cars under the classic vehicle scheme pay lower excise duty, certificate of entitlement premium and lower annual road tax than private vehicle registrations. Vehicles built before Jan 1, 1940, can be registered under the vintage vehicle scheme, which has slightly different terms, like the amount of excise duty levied.
While new registration of diesel and diesel-natural gas cars and taxis is no longer permitted from Jan 1, 2025, the restriction does not apply to cars that are imported and registered under the classic or vintage vehicle scheme.
Fussing over school bus transport
Wheel Insights podcast talks to a school bus driver to understand why fares keep going up.
PHOTO: ST
The latest episode of Wheel Insights, a monthly podcast by The Straits Times, looks at the daily life of a school bus driver to find out why parents of schoolgoing children are facing rising fares and seemingly poorer service.
Wheel Insights is the updated version of the series that began as COE Watch. In each episode, the podcast looks into specific transport-related issues to find out why the things are the way they are. Listen to the latest episode here
A new episode of the podcast is released online every third Wednesday of the month.
Singapore Porsches join regional party in Thailand
625 Porsches, including 40 from Singapore, gathered for an annual enthusiast event in Bangkok on Dec 15.
PHOTO: PORSCHE
For the ninth edition of Das Treffen, an annual event for Porsche enthusiasts, 40 cars from the Porsche Club Singapore drove north to Bangkok, Thailand. Held on Dec 15 at the Impact Speed Park go-kart track, the event drew a record turnout of 625 Porsches and 3,050 visitors from across Asia.
Among the cars that attended was the Taycan Turbo S Celestial Jade, a one-off car unveiled in Singapore in September. The special EV joined other extremely rare Porsche models at the event.
