That’s it for EV Weekend 2022 folks
That’s it for EV Weekend 2022 folks
That’s it for EV Weekend 2022 folksSuntec City, Singapore - And with that, EV Weekend 2022 has come to an end. Running from the 8th to 12th of November at the North Atrium of Suntec City, the second instalment of EV Weekend played host to 8 electric vehicles from manufacturers spanning the globe from the far east to the northern regions of Europe.
The cars in question were the Polestar 2, BYD ATTO 3, Peugeot e-2008, Opel Mokka-e, Hyundai IONIQ 5, DFSK EC35 and two Teslas. Namely, the Model 3 and Model Y. All on display, taking the centre stage between towers 1 & 2 of Suntec City.
Test drives slots for several of the cars on display were up for grabs on a first come first serve basis, including test drives of the Tesla Model Y which prior to the event, has not been offered to the general public.
Judging by the sheer number of enthusiasts, prospective buyers and curious mallgoers that explored the EVs on display, it’s clear that Singaporeans as a whole have a more amenable attitude towards electric vehicle adoption. We’re sure that the revised Vehicular Emissions Scheme (VES) rebates and EV Early Adoption Initiative (EEAI) do contribute to the sudden and sharp uptake of electric cars.
According to national statistics, electric vehicles accounted for 10% of new vehicle registrations in 2022, triple the adoption rate just last year. With EV adoption rates on a steady climb, we’re should expect to see that figure double and surpass 6,000 electric car registrations by the end of the year.
To address the public’s queries about electric vehicles, there was an EV Weekend plenary session with two panel discussions about what Singapore’s electrified future could be like in the long run. The plenary session was officiated by an opening address by the guest of honour, Mr Saktiandi Supaat, MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport.
The first panel session, titled “Singapore & EVs - The Long View”, focused on EV charging speeds, the benefits of electrified commercial vehicles, alternative fuel sources and balancing a car-lite ecosystem with electrification. Moderated by Derryn Wong, chief editor of CarBuyer Singapore, the first panel discussion saw inputs from Jonathan Tan (Commercial Head, Network Development at SP Mobility), Xiao Han Koh (Head of Commercial and operations at Charge+), Edward Tan (Executive Director of Hong She Evolution) and Ivan Quek (Chief Commercial Officer at Novowatt).
The second panel, aptly titled "EV Adopted, now what?”, saw guests Alvin Seet (President of the Electric Vehicle Association of Singapore), Pan Jing Long (Head of General Insurance at Singlife with Aviva) and two EV owners, musician Peter Huang and Christopher Quek speaking about their experience in and around electric vehicles, giving viewers an insight into EV ownership.
But now that the weekend has ended and the cars have returned to their respective showrooms, it’s time for us to take our leave and exit stage left. Thank you for your unwavering support for EV Weekend 2022, and we’ll be back at it again in 2023.
PHOTOS Jay Tee
