BlueSG adds 140 charging points for public use

French operator BlueSG now has 239 charging points in Singapore open to all electric car owners.
French operator BlueSG now has 239 charging points in Singapore open to all electric car owners. LIANHE ZAOBAO FILE PHOTO

Electric car-sharing firm BlueSG has added 140 more charging points to its network of 99 that are open to all electric vehicle owners across Housing Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority carparks.

Marking its second anniversary, the firm said on Thursday that this will bring its number of such charging points in Singapore to 239.

To use its charging points, a user pays a one-time fee of $20. Usage charges are $1 an hour for the first three hours, and $2 an hour subsequently.

The French operator has a total of 1,207 charging points here across 304 locations. They are used by its fleet of 660 electric subcompact cars.

BlueSG will install its first charging station in Tan Tock Seng Hospital next month. This will make the hospital the first healthcare facility here with a BlueSG charging station.

The company said this will mean "greater convenience for its patients and healthcare staff who subscribe to Singapore's first nationwide electric car sharing programme".

Since its launch two years ago, the scheme has attracted more than 55,000 members who now make about 40,000 rentals a month - up from 15,000 a year ago.

The fleet has clocked more than eight million km. It is on track to expand its fleet to 1,000 cars and grow the charging network to 2,000 points by next year.

To mark its second anniversary, BlueSG launched two new subscription plans on Thursday: a Premium six-month membership plan priced at $18 a month with a rental rate of 33 cents a minute and 45 minutes of free rental a month; and a Basic plan with no commitment, priced at $8 a month with a rental rate of 33 cents a minute.

Managing director Franck Vitte said the new plans are in response to "growing demand from our customers for more flexibility" and targeted at "those who do not want to commit and still enjoy the lowest rental rate, or for the more regular users who can get free rentals".

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 14, 2019, with the headline BlueSG adds 140 charging points for public use. Subscribe