SINGAPORE - New condominiums should be required to set aside a certain number of parking spaces as electric vehicle (EV) charging points, an MP said on Monday (Feb 1).
Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio GRC) added that existing condominiums should also be required to adapt existing spaces or create new spaces for charging points. Owners of landed properties should get help to ensure that their estates have the necessary infrastructure to support the charging of electric cars as well.
He was speaking in Parliament during a debate on a motion to accelerate and deepen efforts against climate change.
More than a dozen MPs spoke on issues surrounding climate change.
Explaining his suggestions for the placement of EV charging points, Mr Gan said: "Due to the higher costs of EVs, those in the middle- and upper-middle-income groups are more likely to be the early adopters of EVs.
"As over 16 per cent of Singaporeans live in condominiums, I urge the Government to introduce regulations and incentives for condos to provide EV charging infrastructure."
Mr Gan also called on the Government to incentivise private developers to build publicly accessible charging points.
This could be done in the form of grants, tax breaks or subsidies, he suggested.
The Government can also share public-sector data with the private sector to help it identify sources of demand and track usage patterns of government-built charging points, he said.
"This will alleviate the pressure on the Government to build new charging points and also relieve congestion at the existing ones," he added.
There are currently more than 1,900 electric-car charging points in Singapore, with about 1,400 of these in public carparks.
The Government plans to install 28,000 public charging points by 2030, but Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung had said that his ministry is looking to increase the number.
Workers' Party MP Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) noted that the Government has set a goal for transport to be fully electric by 2040. But this is less ambitious compared with some other countries, such as Norway, which is on track to becoming the first country in the world where electric car sales outstrip those powered by other means, he added.
He said: "Can we be a bit more ambitious and bring forward our timeline to 2030?
"Our 10-year COE system makes it easier than in most countries to have a fully electric automobile fleet sooner."
In response to the points raised by Mr Gan and Mr Giam, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said Singapore is investing in public transport, and is the only country in the world that has a zero-growth policy for vehicles.
She reiterated that the Government aims to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles and have all vehicles run on cleaner energy by 2040.
"We are working closely with stakeholders, including the private sector, to catalyse the adoption of electric vehicles," she added.
