MPs raise concerns about electric vehicle charging points

While the revised target to build 60,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points by 2030 is welcome, it will still be insufficient to drive the adoption of battery-powered cars if the authorities do not get the details right, said Mr Dennis Tan (Hougang) yesterday.

The Workers' Party MP raised several questions about implementation - from possible congestion at charging points due to current carpark designs, to the impact of EV charging on the electrical grid.

Mr Tan had asked if the new charging points would support fast charging and if the EVs here could use such technology.

He also raised concerns about bottlenecks forming due to the design of residential and commercial carparks, noting that Singaporeans do not have the luxury of charging their EVs in their own garages like in the United States, where most people live in landed homes.

"Until we reach the stage where every or most of the carpark spaces come with a charging unit, most of the present... carparks are not adequately designed to prevent bottlenecks or congestion," he said.

Mr Tan also asked about the impact of increased EV adoption on Singapore's power grid, and urged the Government to plan for additional electricity generation.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio GRC) said many building owners are not keen on installing EV charging points in existing carparks, as there is a mismatch between the current demand for EVs and the investment cost of installing charging infrastructure.

"Incentivising the continued investment to improve the technology is as important as incentivising car buyers to switch to EVs," he added.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) urged the Government to help those who drive or bike for a living to transition to greener vehicles over time.