Make condos set aside electric vehicle charging points: MP
New condominiums should be required to set aside a certain number of parking spaces as electric vehicle (EV) charging points, said an MP yesterday.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio GRC) added that existing condominiums should also be required to adapt existing spaces or create new spaces for charging points. Owners of landed properties should get help to ensure their estates have the infrastructure to support the charging of electric cars as well.
He was speaking in Parliament during a debate on a motion to accelerate and deepen efforts against climate change.
More than a dozen MPs spoke on issues surrounding climate change.
Mr Gan said: “Due to the higher costs of EVs, those in the middle-and upper middle-income groups are more likely to be the early adopters of EVs. As over 16 per cent of Singaporeans live in condominiums, I urge the Government to introduce regulations and incentives for condos to provide EV charging infrastructure.”
He also called on the Government to incentivise private developers to build publicly accessible charging points. This could be done in the form of grants, tax breaks or subsidies, he suggested.
Singapore has over 1,900 electric car charging points, with about 1,400 of these in public carparks.
The Government plans to install 28,000 public charging points by 2030, but Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung has said his ministry is looking to increase the number.
Mr Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) noted the Government has set a goal for transport to be fully electric by 2040. But this is less ambitious compared with some other countries such as Norway, which is on track to becoming the first country in the world where electric car sales outstrip those powered by other means, he added.
He said: “Can we be a bit more ambitious and bring forward our timeline to 2030? Our 10-year COE system makes it easier than in most countries to have a fully electric automobile fleet sooner.”
In response to Mr Gan and Mr Giam, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said Singapore is investing in public transport, and is the only country in the world that has a zero-growth policy for vehicles.
She reiterated that the Government aims to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles and have a ll vehicles run on cleaner energy by 2040.
“We are working closely with stakeholders, including the private sector, to catalyse the adoption of electric vehicles,” she added.
Source : straitstimes
