Singapore paves the way for greener cars

Even as the wheels are in motion to get Singapore’s maiden fleet of electric cars on the road, the Economic Development Board (EDB) is hoping that other “green” vehicles will follow suit. It is proposing that sizable tax breaks be extended, for a start, to plug-in hybrids. An EDB spokesman would say only that the board is “in the process of working on enhancing” the Transport Technology Innovation and Development Scheme. Test cars brought into Singapore under the scheme sport blue-and-yellow number plates for research vehicles. As plug-in hybrids are not commercially available until next year or 2012, the EDB is said to be arranging for hybrids in Singapore to be converted into plug-ins. (February 08, 2010)