On the cusp of a new era of electric vehicles - comprising not just private passenger cars, but also motorcycles, as well as buses for public use - the LTA has announced a significant update to TR 25, the national standard for EV charging.
Bringing things up to speed, the first significant change is that the power scale for charging is getting expanded on both ends.
Carmakers are increasingly stepping up the charging capabilities of their EVs On the lower end, the new standards will now introduce Modes 2A and 2B, which will allow for charging at less than 2.3kW using 15 Ampere (15A) sockets.
Mode 2A is designated for juicing up portable chargers (we don't have many of them on our shores right now). On the other hand, 2B will allow for detachable batteries to be recharged.
But the other end of the scale is probably where the real draw lies for most of us car owners.
Moving in step with the heightened charging capabilities brought to the market by both energy providers and carmakers, the new standards are now raising the limits for ultra-fast charging to be established.
Charge+ announced plans in mid-February to offer at least 50 'Turbo' 120kW DC chargers by end-2022 Charging using the Combined Charging System (CCS), which is Singapore's national standard and is generally found on European makes, will now be limited at 500kW, from 200kW previously. Simultaneously, the limit for the CHAdeMO Charging System - found on cars like the Lexus UX300e and Nissan Leaf - will now be doubled to 400kW.
The public fast chargers you'll find around Singapore tend to be 50kW DC (direct current) ones - such as those offered at selected Shell petrol stations. Recently, charging provider Charge+ announced the launch of a 120kW DC 'Turbo' charger, and said that it would be rolling out at least 50 of them island-wide by end-2022.
Electric bikes are starting to take to Singapore's roads (Pictured: The RAP IONA, currently on trial by SingPost) Moving forward with the updated standards, however, means that when the new ultra-fast chargers do come into play, cars with currently superior charging capabilities will be able to get juiced up even quicker. The Audi e-tron GT, for example, supports charging at up to 270kW, which will see its battery go from 5% to 80% in less than 23 minutes.
The LTA has also made sure not to exclude two-wheelers from the developments with a new portion of the TR 25 standard now allowing for the swapping of batteries for electric motorcycles.
Battery swapping hasn't really gained steam in the realm of electric cars because the weight and size of the packs used makes a quick change difficult (non-standardised production is another big issue) - but it remains an enticing and realistic option for lightweight application, such as with bikes.
Bringing things up to speed, the first significant change is that the power scale for charging is getting expanded on both ends.
Mode 2A is designated for juicing up portable chargers (we don't have many of them on our shores right now). On the other hand, 2B will allow for detachable batteries to be recharged.
But the other end of the scale is probably where the real draw lies for most of us car owners.
Moving in step with the heightened charging capabilities brought to the market by both energy providers and carmakers, the new standards are now raising the limits for ultra-fast charging to be established.
The public fast chargers you'll find around Singapore tend to be 50kW DC (direct current) ones - such as those offered at selected Shell petrol stations. Recently, charging provider Charge+ announced the launch of a 120kW DC 'Turbo' charger, and said that it would be rolling out at least 50 of them island-wide by end-2022.
The LTA has also made sure not to exclude two-wheelers from the developments with a new portion of the TR 25 standard now allowing for the swapping of batteries for electric motorcycles.
Battery swapping hasn't really gained steam in the realm of electric cars because the weight and size of the packs used makes a quick change difficult (non-standardised production is another big issue) - but it remains an enticing and realistic option for lightweight application, such as with bikes.
