Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Extent of Battery Degradation in Electric Taxis and PHVs

Ms See Jinli Jean asked the Minister for Transport

a.     whether the Ministry will study the state of battery degradation in electric taxis and private-hire vehicles (PHVs) and the impact on the adoption of electric vehicles in the point-to-point transport sector as part of the Singapore Green Plan 2030; 

b.     whether early adopters of electric taxis and PHVs since 2021 have reported significant battery degradation after three years of standard use; and

c.     if so, whether additional support can be provided to them.

Reply by Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat:

1.     Battery health in electric vehicles (EVs) is influenced by several factors, including battery chemistry, usage profile, and charging profile. Different EV models may have different types of batteries which have different degradation rates. Taxi operators and private hire car (PHC) fleet owners are hence best placed to decide which EV models meet their commercial and operational needs. Fleet owners will also have a better understanding of the usage and charging patterns of their vehicles, which can also affect battery degradation. In addition, most motor dealers provide warranty for the traction battery should the battery state of health degrade below a certain threshold.

2.     Electric taxis and PHCs purchased after 1 January 2021 would have received a subsidy under the EV Early Adoption Incentive (EEAI) and Enhanced Vehicular Emissions Scheme (VES), as with all other electric cars. At this point, there are no plans for further subsidies for electric taxis and PHCs.