Singapore to start testing EVs in 2010

The Singapore government announced plans to test green vehicles which are set to arrive early next year. According to officials, the government will launch a new initiative soon to test high-tech, environmentally friendly all-electric vehicles (EV) to see how they perform under local conditions. The first all-electric cars are expected to be brought in by Acceleron EDS, an Australian electric vehicle manufacturer that is majority-owned by Singaporean entrepreneurs Irving and Ivan Yuen. Those from major manufacturers, such as Nissan Motor Co., Renault S.A. and Volkswagen AG, will follow Acceleron’s cars. The government said it hopes to defer the high cost of electric cars by its green vehicle rebate, which grants a 40% reduction on the car’s tax. Acceleron said it will sell these EVs for SG$20,000 (US$13,579.58) to SG$25,000 (US$16,974.47) more than a petrol-powered model of the same size. (April 22, 2009)