The inter-agency Electric Vehicle (EV) Taskforce led by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has appointed Robert Bosch (SEA) Pte Ltd (“Bosch”) to design, develop, deploy, operate and maintain Singapore’s EV charging infrastructure as part of the EV test-bed programme.
Bosch will be collaborating with local partners SingTel (on the communications interface) and Greenlots (on the charging network) to deliver a reliable and integrated infrastructure solution for EVs.
Singapore will be the first location outside of Germany to test out this integrated EV charging infrastructure solution developed by Bosch.
For a start, the charging stations will cater to the first batch of Mitsubishi i-MiEVs being brought in for the test-bed.
EV models by other automotive manufacturers are expected to become available in 2011.
In this initial phase of the test-bed programme, Bosch will deploy 25 normal charging stations (full charge within 8 hours) and 1 quick charging station (full charge within 45 minutes). As each EV user in the test-bed will be supported by a normal charging station, Bosch will work closely with them to site the locations of these charging stations. The quick charging station will be sited at a location which the EV users can conveniently access.
The charging infrastructure will be scaled up over time, to match the take-up rate of EVs in Singapore. While the EV Taskforce has appointed Bosch to roll out the initial charging infrastructure for the test-bed programme, this does not restrict other players from setting up EV charging stations on a commercial basis.
“Worldwide, electric mobility solutions are emerging as a promising option for cleaner and less carbon-intensive road transportation. This programme will enable us to test and evaluate the overall costs and benefits of electric vehicles in Singapore’s context. It is very much a part of our broader effort to foster innovative solutions for our energy challenges and to make Singapore a smart energy economy”, said Mr Lawrence Wong, Chief Executive, Energy Market Authority.
“As a global supplier of technologies and services, Bosch is pleased to be appointed by the EV Taskforce to develop one of the most holistic EV charging infrastructures worldwide. The EV infrastructure will be based on our innovative eMobility solution. It will offer a robust charging infrastructure, together with an innovative marketplace for EV stakeholders to run economically viable business models. Bosch’s eMobility solution will support the development of a vibrant EV ecosystem in Singapore, significantly accelerating the acceptance of this future drive technology,” said Mr Cem Peksaglam, President and Managing Director of Robert Bosch (SEA) Pte Ltd.
All interested companies and organisations, especially those with large vehicle fleets, are invited to participate as early adopters of EVs. This will provide a broader base for evaluation and testing of critical data, such as the performance of EVs as well as the ease of charging under local road conditions and environment.
“We look forward to the strong support of the business community in Singapore for this test-bed. The EV Taskforce is actively engaging corporate fleet owners to participate in the test-bed by taking up EVs. We look forward to working closely with all partners towards a cleaner, greener and more sustainable transport system”, said Mr Chew Hock Yong, Chief Executive, Land Transport Authority.
Companies and organisations taking part in the EV test-bed may apply for the Transport Technology Innovation and Development Scheme (TIDES+). The enhanced TIDES+ scheme, administered by EDB and LTA, waives all vehicular taxes such as Additional Registration Fees (ARF), Certificate of Entitlement (COE), road tax and excise duty for the purpose of R&D and test-bedding of transport technologies.
Vehicles approved under TIDES+ can enjoy the tax waiver for an initial period of six (6) years.
“This EV test-bed is an excellent example of how Singapore presents itself as a Living Laboratory for auto-manufacturers, charging equipment suppliers and EV component players to explore R&D and capability development activities in Singapore. We see opportunities in areas such as battery management systems, power electronics and electric drive systems and companies could leverage Singapore’s electronics cluster and engineering talent to build new capabilities here”, said Tan Choon Shian, Deputy Managing Director, Economic Development Board.
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