Dealers add weight to diesel goods vehicles to skirt ruling
Accessories, equipment added to tip scales over 3,500kg to avoid $10,000 surcharge
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Some diesel light goods vehicles are made heavier to breach the 3,500kg gross laden weight threshold, so they do not have to fall under the new Commercial Vehicle Emissions Scheme, where diesel models face a $10,000 tax surcharge, while similar petrol and electric models earn $10,000 and $30,000 cash rebates, respectively.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
While weight reduction - which enhances fuel efficiency - is seen as a virtue in the automotive world, some dealers are bumping up the weight of their vehicles to bypass a new emissions ruling that kicks in from next month.
The Straits Times understands that those selling popular diesel light goods vehicles are rendering them heavier to breach the 3,500kg gross laden weight threshold and get them classified as heavy goods vehicles.
