Branded Content
The EV gap: What S’pore drivers fear versus the reality of going electric
Survey found that 96 per cent of EV owners in Singapore are satisfied with their cars, but concerns remain among non-EV owners
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Ms Veronica Ong, 46, used to spend $600 a month on petrol. Now, she spends $150 a month charging her electric vehicle.
PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA
Jan Lee, Brand Newsroom
Ms Veronica Ong, 46, had driven petrol cars for more than 20 years. When it was time to change her car about a year ago, she wondered: Should I go electric?
She knew the national shift towards electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids was underway. Singapore will stop registering new petrol cars by 2030.
Still, she had doubts. Would charging be a hassle? How safe are EV batteries?
Ms Ong, an insurance agent, spent six months researching before switching to a BYD Sealion 7 sport utility vehicle.
Today, charging is the part that pleases her and many other EV owners most.
This gap between perception and experience emerged in a survey of 1,055 car owners in Singapore. Some 96 per cent of EV owners said they were satisfied with their cars – citing charging costs, speed and station availability as factors they like most.
But among non-EV owners, concerns remain. About 51 per cent of non-EV owners are concerned about charging availability, 45 per cent about battery lifespan, and 42 per cent about long charging times.
The survey was commissioned by SPH Media and BYD Singapore. Respondents were sourced from the Kantar Profiles Audience Network. They completed the online survey in February 2026. Kantar is an independent market research company.
Perception vs experience
So far, Ms Ong has not had to queue to charge. “A charger has always been available to me whenever I need one,” she says. She uses public chargers and shares one of six residential chargers at her condominium.
She drives daily to meet clients around Singapore, and clocks around 1,000km a month. She charges to full whenever her battery dips to 60 per cent. She says it takes about three to four hours on a slow charger.
Ms Veronica Ong, who switched from a petrol car to a BYD Sealion 7, says she has not had to queue to charge her EV so far.
PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA
“Charging is one of the most common topics customers ask about, especially early in their ownership journey,” says Mr James Ng, managing director of BYD Singapore and president of BYD Philippines.
Similar to smartphone batteries, Mr Ng says it is recommended to start charging one’s EV when the battery is around 20 per cent and stop when it hits 80 per cent.
It is advice that Ms Ong, who is anxious about running out of battery, says she will try to heed.
What to know about EV batteries
Like 45 per cent of non-electric vehicle (EV) owners in the February 2026 survey, freelance creative director Qiu Sufen, 47, is concerned about battery lifespan.
Ms Qiu, who drives a 1,395cc petrol car, is also unsure about battery degradation and safety. “I have anxiety about the EV catching fire.”
How safe are EV batteries?
Global statistics show that EVs catch fire less often than petrol cars when measured per mileage or per population basis, notes Dr Chiam Sing Yang, deputy executive director, Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR.
There were 226 vehicle fires in 2025, of which four were EV fires, according to the Singapore Civil Defence Force’s annual statistics.
EV batteries undergo rigorous safety testing, and modern battery packs are built to provide containment and early warning if something goes wrong, says Dr Chiam, who is also technical director, Singapore Battery Consortium and technical advisor, A*STAR Battery Centre.
BYD Singapore’s managing director James Ng says that the EV maker’s lithium iron phosphate (LFP) Blade Battery has undergone rigorous safety testing in China.
The International Energy Agency notes that LFP batteries have lower flammability and longer lifetime than lithium-ion batteries with a high nickel content, also commonly used in EVs.
How long can they last?
“Battery lifespan has improved greatly over the last decade,” says Dr Chiam. At least 1,000 charge cycles before a battery reaches about 70 to 80 per cent of its original capacity is now baseline, he says.
That works out to roughly eight to 10 years of use, if one charges twice a week. Many manufacturers reach higher numbers, he adds.
Real-world use differs from laboratory testing conditions, says Dr Chiam. Manufacturers typically offer warranties based on degradation, mileage and time, rather than charge cycles. There is currently no standardised way to measure the degradation of EV batteries.
Mr Ng says the BYD’s LFP batteries can support around 3,000 to 6,000 charge cycles, which translates to about 10 to 15 years of use, depending on driving patterns and charging habits.
“For most drivers, battery replacement is not something they will typically encounter within their ownership period, as modern EV batteries are designed to last many years with proper usage.”
User behaviour affects battery health too. Dr Tobias Massier, principal scientist and head of Energy and Power Systems Group at research platform TUMCREATE, says good driving habits – including driving with moderate acceleration and braking, and using regenerative braking – can make a difference.
“This way, after eight to 10 years, (an EV’s) battery capacity should still be at around 85 per cent of its original capacity,” says Dr Massier.
Chinese EV maker BYD, Singapore’s top-selling car brand with a 24.3 per cent market share in the first quarter of 2026, offers a battery warranty of up to 10 years or 200,000km, subject to the condition of the battery.
Will fast charging degrade the battery?
Fast charging can reduce battery health, says Dr Chiam, though the impact would differ across manufacturers. Improvements have been made through systems and battery materials used.
Modern EVs have a battery management system (BMS) which controls charging behaviour to protect the battery, he says.
Mr Ng says today’s EV batteries and vehicle systems are designed to support regular fast charging without significantly compromising long-term durability.
Singapore has over 29,000 charging stations island-wide, with 60,000 in total expected by 2030.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Fast chargers can bring a battery from 20 to 80 per cent in just 20 minutes, adds Mr Ng. A full charge generally delivers around 400km to 500km of range, depending on the car model and driving conditions. That is enough to cover a one-way trip from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur.
Fast chargers are typically rated between 60 kilowatt (kW) and 120kW. There are about 21 fast-charging EV hubs across Singapore, each with at least six charging points.
Singapore has over 29,000 charging stations island-wide, with 60,000 expected by 2030.
A matter of cost
The savings are also clear. Ms Ong used to spend over $600 a month on petrol when she was driving a 2,000cc petrol car. Now she spends about $150 a month charging her EV.
“My annual road tax and insurance for the EV is more expensive – double that of my petrol car – but the fuel savings are more than enough to make up for it,” she says.
The contrast is even sharper now, as the US-Israeli war with Iran sends petrol prices surging past 2022 record highs.
Running costs contribute to the recent popularity of EVs, says Mr Ng.
EVs made up the largest share of new car registrations in the first quarter of 2026, accounting for 57.6 per cent of the 13,322 new cars, according to Land Transport Authority data. This marks the first time EV registrations outnumbered that of combustion engine and hybrid models in Singapore.
Over half of the 13,322 new cars registered in Singapore in the first quarter of 2026 were electric vehicles.
PHOTO: CMG
Mr Ng puts average energy cost savings at around 40 per cent for drivers switching from petrol to electric cars in Singapore, though he notes habits vary.
There are, however, still unknowns. “I’m not clear on the resale value, and can’t gauge the depreciation,” says Ms Ong. The February survey found that 35 per cent of EV owners share her concern.
With how quickly EV technology is evolving, Mr Ng acknowledges that depreciation remains a sticking point for some consumers. His response: Look at the total cost of ownership.
“EVs typically offer lower running and maintenance costs, which can offset depreciation over time,” he says. Charging at residential points or during off-peak hours can stretch savings further.
“The maintenance costs of EVs are lower since an electric motor is much easier to maintain than an internal combustion engine,” says Dr Tobias Massier, principal scientist at research platform TUMCREATE. TUMCREATE, which fosters collaboration between Singapore and the Technical University of Munich, is funded by the National Research Foundation.
Overall savings, he notes, will depend on battery degradation and how electricity prices compare with petrol.
For Ms Ong, the positives outweigh the uncertainties. After nine months on the road, the convenience and savings stand out. “I think (Singapore’s EV transition is) 90 per cent to perfection already.”
In Perspective is a research-led content programme by SPH Media that combines insight-driven storytelling with expert perspectives on key issues shaping society.
In partnership with BYD
