Whether we like it or not, electric vehicles are the future. With the growing awareness that the world is literally burning, most car manufacturers are making the shift to electric.

Here in Singapore, while progress has perhaps been slower than anticipated, we are seeing a gradual shift towards electrification - both on the buyer’s end, as well as the infrastructure to support these cars.

And unlike even just a couple of years ago, these days, living with an EV is increasingly easy.

1.      More choices

In 2014, there was only one electric passenger car available to the Singaporean driver for purchase: The affable and unmistakeable BMW i3.

Now, however, choices run the gamut of the entire car industry.

Encompassing not just compact hatchbacks, but proper sedans and SUVs as well, electric cars cover an entire range of prices, from more mass market targeted models to super high-end luxury models. If there isn’t one now (and that’s already quite unlikely), it’s guaranteed that an electrified car that suits your needs, lifestyle preferences and budget is on the near horizon.

On the note of budget, increasing scales of economy coupled with legislation that encourages the uptake of electric vehicles mean that the days of exorbitantly priced EVs are disappearing into our rearview mirrors - great news for all of us!

2.      Growing charging network

Singapore’s charging network today is already miles ahead of what it was just a couple of years back. Even so, we can expect even greater things on the road ahead.

Returning to the i3, we reviewed this premium and peppy little runabout twice - in 2014, and then again in 2017 - and twice, we lamented that Singapore’s charging infrastructure had not caught up sufficiently to make it magnetic enough for consideration. Thankfully, things are very different at the dawn of 2022.

2021 was a watershed year for the electrification of cars in Singapore. It wasn’t just the fact that more brands were opening up their showroom doors for new electric models to zip into our market. More importantly, we received multiple signals that the time of an electric Singapore was finally nigh.  

From HDBs to shopping malls, we will soon find spaces to seamlessly integrate charging our cars into our daily routines. It was announced in September last year that 620 charging stations will be progressively installed around HDB carparks by the third quarter of this year. In line with the Singapore Green Plan, eight towns spread out across the island have also already been gazetted as “EV-ready”, and will be prioritised for the installation of charging points.

Back in 2019, only 1,900 of such charging stations existed on our island. When 2030 swings around, at least 60,000 charging points will have been also installed, with 40,000 of them designated for public carparks. In the meantime, modern solutions - such as mobile apps for locating chargers near you and tracking the progress of charging - also promise to make the process intuitive and easy.

3.      Ease of parking

Another benefit of going electric is the access to unique perks - in the form of priority parking.

In increasing numbers, you would have surely noticed car park lots in shopping malls being painted over in green over the last few years. Reserved only for the drivers of hybrid and electric cars, these are sure to proliferate further as we move towards cleaner vehicles.

If you happen to the proud owner of one of these cleaner-emission cars, the perks you can enjoy are in fact actually twofold.

Firstly, instead of having to circle around endlessly for space, you can immediately slot yourself into one of these green lots - an undeniable relief especially in malls that typically packed to the rafters. Secondly, these lots are typically situated the closest to the main entrances to the malls from car park, making entry and exit extremely convenient.

To further the electric transition, BMW and Capitaland are collaborating to offer BMW EV and PHEV drivers $5 off parking  daily at three well-loved Capitaland malls - Plaza Singapura, Funan and Raffles City Shopping Centre - from 1 Mar 2022 to 31 Dec 2022*.

Redemption of the credits is fuss-free - simply present your car key and BMW Performance SG App or BMW Charging card to the respective Customer Service Counter of each mall to get a reward code.

Upon keying in the reward code, an eVoucher will be issued via their CapitaStar mobile app and $5 will be deducted from their parking charges upon their exit.. The eVoucher has to be activated 15mins prior to exciting the carpark.

*Redemption is limited to one CapitaStar member per day.