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Old 04-03-2016, 02:37 PM   #1
Auratus
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Default Singapore’s Penalty for Electric Cars

Interest article, tell us about the focus on going green effort by Govt.

Quote:
Singapore’s Penalty for Electric Cars – The First Tesla Model S in Singapore
from yahoo news.

This open letter is republished with permission from the author, Joe Nguyen, on the frustrations he encountered trying to get the first Telsa Model S electric car into Singapore.

I am writing to you to highlight an ongoing issue I had trying to register a Tesla Model S in Singapore – the best electric car in the world. Let me start from the beginning.

I imported a secondhand Tesla Model S into Singapore in July 2015, thinking that since we are such a green and environmental conscious country, it would be welcomed. As it was the first of its kinds in Singapore, I expected to take a bit of time. The initial LTA required documents took about 2 months.

Then I was asked to speak to someone at the Energy Markets Authority(EMA), and I was not clear why. The person did not understand why I called at first and then explained that EMA looks after the national charging infrastructure. He wanted the specification of the charger that I would use at home, which I provided. This took a month chasing EMA to report to LTA whatever that was supposed to be reported.

Then LTA sent us to VICOM for inspection. VICOM sat on the car for a month as it gathered dust in Bukit Batok. I went to visit in early November, and they said they actually did not know what they were supposed to do with the car and what they were supposed to test. I got a hold of an LTA official on the case and told him that VICOM does not know what they are supposed to do. He says they are supposed to test for 1) Emissions and 2) efficiency. So I questioned the need for an emissions test since it is fully electric and there was no emissions. The reply was “Oh… Right….”. Then I asked the LTA official about the LTA standards for efficiency for an electric vehicle since it is not the usual kilometres per litre; I told him that the US Environmental Protection Agency has a standard for MPGe (Miles per gallon equivalent), but I do not see that anywhere on the LTA website. He says he will speak to VICOM and get it settled.

VICOM began testing. One of the tests was to drain the battery and charge it back up. So they drained the battery and then said my charger was not working. It took another trip to VICOM to realised that they took off the bumper and with all the connected sensors, the car would not allow charging if something was disconnected. Then it took a week to charge the car back up, because they unplugged it when they went home every evening. I asked them how they were going to do the efficiency test, and they said they would run the car for 11 km and then see how much electrical energy it would take to charge back up. And they showed me an old piece of equipment to measure the electrical energy and I just shook my head. VICOM testing was completed at the end of November so back to LTA.

LTA says that they need a letter from EMA saying that they are ok with my charger. I rang up EMA and asked them for this and he says he will talk to LTA. I was not sure what communications LTA and EMA had back in August, but it was not enough. That took a week to clear (early December by now).

Then LTA spent the next few weeks (into mid January) asking for more specifications including efficiency ratings and asking for the teslamotors.com webpage with my model on it (Tesla does not keep specs of 2014 models on their site as they are trying to sell the latest model). Then LTA asked me to send in a declaration that the car “will only be used for home charging and will not use any of the existing public charging infrastructure”. I thought that was odd, but I plan to charge the car every night at home like a mobile phone anyways so I sent in the declaration.

Finally at the end of January, I got the approval to register the car, but then I got the shock! I was supposed to pay an Electric Vehicle Fine of $15,000 rather than an emissions rebate as outlined here. This is apparently because VICOM measured the efficiency of the car at 444 Wh/km, whereas the US EPA officially rated it at 237.5Wh/km. I appealed to the LTA Head of Inspections stating the above and that VICOM does not have the know-how or equipment to properly test the car. My request was denied. I went ahead and registered the car at the beginning of February.

So Singapore is the first country in the world that taxes/fines a Tesla car for CO2 emissions. There are 2,000 Tesla Model S in Hong Kong that are on the road tax free and with EV rebate, and the US and Europe offer rebates to every Tesla owner. In Singapore, not only did it take 7 months, but I am also fined.

“What’s so great about this car? It’s just a rich boy’s toy.” — The Tesla Model S is a game changer in the automotive industry. It is THE cutting edge on green, environmentally friendly vehicles. Besides my house, this is the most expensive thing I ever bought. I am doing it because I believe in what they do and their vision. Every one I talk to say this car is perfect for Singapore, except that Singapore LTA does not think so. I would like to extend an invitation to all of you out for a ride, and you will see what I mean.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is going to Silicon Valley next week to meet with, among other tech titans, Elon Musk – the Founder and CEO of Tesla Motors. He is doing this because Tesla is changing the world with their cars and the Powerwall, and Singapore is not helping. We are missing out on this revolution. Beside being “green”, Tesla Motors prides itself on clean, state-of-the-art robotic manufacturing, and Singapore has always had that edge over our lower labour market neighbours.

With the hope of getting Singapore on the right track, I hope you can bring this up in the Government and make LTA more forward looking. Within the last 7 months, there are so many Singaporeans I have met who are waiting to see how I progress because they want a Tesla too. I have had the car for less than a week, and the car is like a mini-celebrity – everyone wants to take a picture of it and with it. I am talking to a couple of journalists who want to do articles on it as they have heard so much about it and now they can experience one in real life.

Lastly, I would really like to have my case re-evaluated by LTA and hopefully get a refund on my EV fine.

Sincerely,
Joe Nguyen
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Old 04-03-2016, 09:53 PM   #2
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With the current mindset of our government, we will take many years before we are ready to have electric cars. The government just does not want to commit to it. Maybe it will be a loss of revenue for them since the car does not use petrol. I can only say our government is quite wayang about going green.
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Old 04-03-2016, 10:25 PM   #3
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Really a joke.....talk so much about going green and really is talk only....when come to action, not ready to test this and take....take so long to test....then give fine......maybe use green color to paint is greener and faster.....
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Old 04-03-2016, 10:42 PM   #4
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Just like hybrid car which entail higher road tax than normal car...maybe use less petrol = lost revenue for the govt...
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Old 04-03-2016, 11:30 PM   #5
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I feel that roy has proven another point. Dun rely on the authorities to do things for u. Best is u do it yourself as it takes time to do it. I feel the civil servants dun want to take responsibility on giving the green light for this super car in case something wrong in the event that he drove it. Anything happens the person will kanna questions why he approved this veh is fit for local use.

Another possibility is there is no department setup in the authorities to do these stuff and it is something new to them. Those earlier green electric veh are meant for trails and driven by "own ppl" only. However this is the real thing driving on the roads.

Hybrids cars still ok as they still use petrol, but roy's car is fully electric and the charger may not be suitable for local use. Thats why need ema to approve it and they got no idea how to do it. Viacom ppl dunno how to do it as earlier models are tested by another test center.

We still have a long way to go when come to electric vehicle as my friend told me he sat in a tesla car over in china when he use uber to call for his drive.
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Old 05-03-2016, 10:44 AM   #6
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"This is apparently because VICOM measured the efficiency of the car at 444 Wh/km, whereas the US EPA officially rated it at 237.5Wh/km."

Petrol also.. manufacturer claimed consumption 6l/100km, but in real world, 11l/100km.
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Old 05-03-2016, 11:02 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by onlyyouknow View Post
With the current mindset of our government, we will take many years before we are ready to have electric cars.
... I can only say our government is quite wayang about going green.
All the current batch sitting in ivory tower needs to go. All the top in service needs to go. Only then can we expect a real change. They suka suka place who here who there, retire from armed forces go into quasi gov body take big post when they know nuts about the industry.

Wayang is an understatement.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dragon888 View Post
Really a joke.....talk so much about going green and really is talk only....
Indeed. I always wonder, how much energy and material does it take to build a car?? More than emission created (over 10yrs) by an older car?

TCSS la.... they are the best ma.
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Old 05-03-2016, 06:39 PM   #8
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Last time I lun, hoping for 5 years completion and a brighter future for us but after last erection, I realised there is no hope liao.
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Old 05-03-2016, 06:46 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Auratus View Post
Last time I lun, hoping for 5 years completion and a brighter future for us but after last erection, I realised there is no hope liao.
Can only hope for another change in Transport Minister.......if Khaw can't make the MRT system more reliable........
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Old 05-03-2016, 09:25 PM   #10
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LTA on Tesla: CO2 emissions for electric cars start at power grid
The LTA's clarification came after a consumer detailed the months-long journey of getting his Tesla Model S electric car on Singapore's roads.

SINGAPORE: All used cars imported into Singapore will have to undergo exhaust emissions and fuel efficiency tests, and for electric cars, this means having the car's electricity generation process assessed for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

The authority was responding to Channel NewsAsia's questions after a local consumer, Mr Joe Nguyen, was reported to have spent months trying to get a licence for his Tesla Model S car to be driven on local roads. Additionally, he was not given the Carbon Emissions-based Vehicle Scheme (CEVS) rebate of S$15,000 but was charged S$15,000 tax for having a non-fuel-efficient car instead.

Mr Nguyen said in the Stuff report on Tuesday (Mar 1): "I don't get it, there are no emissions. Then they send out the results from VICOM, stating that the car was consuming 444 watt hour per kilometre (Wh/km). These are not specs that I have seen on Tesla's website, or anywhere else for that matter. And then underneath it, there's a conversion to CO2 emission."

A LTA spokesperson explained that for Mr Nguyen's case, the car was tested under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) R101 standards. The result was that the electric energy consumption of his imported used Tesla car was 444Wh/km, she said.

"As for all electric vehicles, a grid emission factor of 0.5 g CO2/Wh was also applied to the electric energy consumption. This is to account for CO2 emissions during the electricity generation process, even if there are no tail-pipe emissions. The equivalent CO2 emission of Mr Nguyen’s car was 222g/km, which is in the CEVS surcharge band," the spokesperson added.

Under the revised CEVS, Mr Nguyen's Tesla falls in the C3 band, which accounts for cars with 216 to 230 g/km, and carries with it a S$15,000 surcharge.

She added that the Tesla is not the first fully electric car where grid emission factor was applied. A Peugeot Ion, for instance, was registered in July 2014 and received the maximum CEVS rebates, the spokesperson said.

LTA did acknowledge the delays Mr Nguyen faced during the testing process at VICOM Emission Test Laboratory. He had told Stuff that he experienced a two-month "ordeal" getting his car assessed.

"This is the first time a Tesla Model S has been tested for emissions," the spokesperson said.

- CNA/kk
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