We had a chat with Lawrence Kim, Ebenezer Group's CEO to find out why he decided to go green by electrifying his fleet.
Many might know of Hong Seh Motors as the company that held the local distributorship of Ferrari and Maserati supercars, but the company has since shifted its focus towards building a greener world.
Being among the first movers importing electric passenger and commercial Electric Vehicles (EV) into Singapore, Hong Seh Motors has played a huge role in electrification here. And it continues to work with its partners to champion the switch to EV where it matters the most - the large number of commercial vehicles that run on Diesel or Petrol.
To help us gain a better understanding about the challenges and benefits of switching to EVs, Hong Seh has arranged for us to have a chat with one of its biggest clients and partners, Lawrence Kim, CEO, Ebenezer Group (a logistics company). Here's what we found out.
Adopting the EV lifestyle isn't an overnight journey
Switching from Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) to EV is as simple as selling the old vehicles and buying brand new EVs right? Except, that isn't really the case as we found out from Lawrence.
Do you remember how buying your first car and stepping into car ownership was a lifestyle change that affected your daily life? According to Lawrence, the switch to EVs is a substantial lifestyle change as well.
Like Hong Seh, Ebenezer Group is a first mover in electrification, with the latter opting to give EVs a try back in August 2020 when the company purchased three MG EV cars for its leaders and management staff. Lawrence believes that before the company switch to EVs for its fleet, the management should have a first-hand experience, understand the nuances of an EV lifestyle and make an informed decision on electrification.
As the team quickly realised, the limited EV charging infrastructure meant that they had to be familiar with the available charging locations. After the initial experience, the company decided to install their own chargers to facilitate the charging of its EVs while enjoying lower charging rates.
While the switch to EV wasn't entirely hiccup-free Lawrence noticed that the benefits far outweigh the cons - especially when it comes down to dollars and cents. In a highly simplified example, Lawrence mentioned that the petrol cost for the ICE management vehicles were close to $1,000 a month per car, meanwhile charging the EVs costs in the ballpark of $200 a month. This has resulted in savings of almost $10,000 a year - easily outshadowing the depreciation of the car.
Going green doesn't simply save you money, it makes you more!
"People think that going green is about saving money, but actually, going green makes you money," with his experience on going green, Lawrence believes that going green will result in an increase in profits.
Indeed, the amount of savings from switching to EV is so substantial that it could simply be thought of as an increase in earnings.
Like all investments, going green is a business activity that will result in making you money. Apart from Ebenezer's logistics operations, Lawrence also deals with solar panels, and is hence familiar with the green industry as a whole. And he told us that with the lowering costs and improvements in efficiency, the Return on Investment for a typical solar energy setup is just four years.
By powering its chargers with solar energy, Ebenezer went one step further in going green. At the same time, this decision has managed to help the company to make more money.
Electrification of your fleet is simple and easy with Hong Seh Evolution
Gone are the times where chargers and suitable EVs for your business are few and far between. Unlike when Ebenezer first started, the industry has come a long way, and it is all thanks to companies like Hong Seh that are committed to bringing in these green vehicles.
If you are looking to purchase an electric commercial vehicle, Hong Seh is the place to be. Hong Seh Evolution is the first in Singapore to work with financial institutes to offer green financing loans to aid companies with their journey of going green.
Hong Seh Evolution offers a range of efficient and practical EV commercial vehicles from DFSK, the line up includes the EC35 van, EC31 lorry and EC31 refrigerated truck.
The EC35 is a small van that is practical and easy to drive. It is an excellent choice for goods delivery and also as an eco-friendly mode of transport - compare its running cost against that of a petrol or diesel powered van and you'll be sure to see plenty of cost savings.
Meanwhile, the EC31 is a highly versatile lorry that is offered in various configurations. The lorry bed can be boxed up, fitted with a tailgate, or with a canopy, it is also offered as a refrigerator truck.
The commercial EVs from DFSK can all do well over 200km on a single charge, and can be charged quickly with the appropriate chargers. Consider the fact that public EV chargers are now readily available, with their numbers only going to grow even further, there's no reason for you to stick to the outdated, inefficient and pollutive ICE commercial vehicles.
If an early adopter like Ebenezer was able to benefit from switching the EVs, you too could revolutionise your business by electrifying your fleet. Remember, "going green makes you money".
DFSK - keep your business going
It is really easy to make the switch to EV, you just have to approach Hong Seh Evolution and take your pick of the EV that suits your needs and requirements. On top of the various green-car specific loans to help you in electrifying your fleet, Hong Seh Evolution also have various leasing plans available. You can lease DFSK vehicles from Hong Seh Evolution for a period of three, five or seven years at affordable leasing rates that are suitable for your business needs.
To find out more about the DFSK commercial EVs you can reach out to Hong Seh Evolution at 8030 8030, or visit its showroom at 237 Alexandra Road, The Alexcier #01-06 Singapore 159929. You can also visit DFSK Singapore's website for more information on the EVs.