Singapore passes the electric vehicle charging bill

The Electric Vehicles Charging Bill was passed in Singapore Parliament on Nov 30, 2022. The Bill introduces new regulations and measures to ensure that Singapore’s EV charging network is safe, reliable, and accessible. It is aimed to facilitate the deployment of 60,000 EV chargers in both public carparks and private premises by 2030.

Objectives of Singapore EV Charging Bill

This Bill serves three main objectives:

1. The first is to ensure that EV chargers are safe and safely used. Hence, the Bill proposes to regulate the supply, advertisement, installation, registration, maintenance, and use of EV chargers, both portable and fixed, including battery charge and swap stations and pantograph chargers. 

• Bill proposes regulation to cover the entire use cycle of EV chargers and to consolidate the regulatory oversight under the Land Transport Authority. 

• All chargers supplied in Singapore must belong to a homologated model that meets the national charging standard, which is Technical Reference 25 (or TR25). The supply of a non-homologated model is an offence with a penalty for individuals of a maximum fine of $20,000 or a maximum jail term of 24 months, or both, while a corporate entity faces a maximum fine of $40,000. 

• Bill prohibits the advertisement of non-approved EV charger models, including online or digital advertising. The Bill empowers LTA to direct to the advertiser to stop further publication of the advertisement, disable access to the offending advertisement, or publish a corrective advertisement.

• As new and emerging charging solutions may not comply with TR25, the Bill allows LTA to administer a special authorisation regime for such chargers to be trialled under controlled conditions until they are eventually incorporated into our main standards.

• LTA to maintain a National Register of EV Chargers. The person in charge and control of an EV charger, which is typically the owner, must register the charger with LTA and will be the registered responsible person required to ensure that it is properly maintained and periodically inspected by a qualified person.

•  To ensure a safe installation, the Bill will require chargers to be certified as fit for charging electric vehicles by qualified persons, which includes Licensed Electrical Workers and charging equipment specialists; the installation of fixed chargers must also be overseen by Licensed Electrical Workers. 

• Bill also has safeguards against unsafe charging. For example, EV chargers capable of charging detachable EV batteries will not be allowed in residences because of the risk of battery fires. Also, a manufacturer or supplier who knows of a safety defect in the charger or charger model it has supplied must inform persons with charge and control of such chargers on how to rectify the defect and subsequently report to LTA upon the completion of rectification work.   

2. Second, to ensure the reliability of the EV charging network and services through a licensing regime for EV charging operators.

• The services provided by such EV charging operators will include – hiring of fixed EV chargers, EV battery swapping, renting of portable EV chargers. 

• EV charging operators must obtain a licence, which will be valid for three years and renewable. 

• Licensing conditions will include the purchase of public liability insurance and correcting EV charging service downtime issues within a specified duration.   

• For a start, the licensing regime will only cover EV charging operators that provide charging services to the public, given the focus on commercial EV charging operators. This coverage can be expanded in accordance with future needs.  

• The Bill also allows for step-in arrangements in respect of a designated licensee. 

3. Third, to promote the accessibility of the EV charging network by mandating a minimum provision of charging points at certain developments and by lowering the resolution threshold for EV charger installation at strata-titled developments.

• Bill mandates the provision of EV charging infrastructure by developers of specified building works and development owners who carry out certain types of electrical works. These are typically new developments or those undergoing substantial renovation. 

• Developers must install electrical infrastructure that supports at least 1.3 kilo-volt amperes of power for every car and motorcycle parking lot in the development.

• Developers must install a minimum number of charging points which would draw at least one-fifth of that amount of power.

• To illustrate, a development that is in compliance will be able to support 7.4 kilowatt (kW) charging points with smart charging capability at about 1 in 5 lots. In terms of the actual installation of chargers, the developer can comply with the mandate by fitting out about 1 in 25 lots with such 7.4kW charging points. In simple terms, one part of the requirement is for electrical capacity that is to be provided. The second part of that mandate is on the number of lots. So, while you can have up to 1 in 5 of the lots with these chargers, the mandate is if you go by slow charging rates, it will amount to about 1 in 25, or 4% – 5% of the lots.

• Flexibility to deploy a mix of charging points with different power ratings at more or fewer lots, depending on the needs of users. There is a trade-off because for a given electrical capacity, if you choose to have more high-powered chargers, then you will have fewer charging stations and vice versa. 

Summary of Singapore EV Charging Bill

– All charges supplied must adhere to LTA’s safety standards and be certified and registered with LTA.

– ‘Registered Responsible Persons’ of EV Chargers will be responsible for their proper use and maintenance.

– New licensing regime will be introduced for EV charging operators. Licensees are required to comply with requirements such as maintaining service uptimes, purchasing of public liability insurance, and data sharing.

– Ensuring buildings are EV-Ready: All new buildings, and the buildings that will undergo significant building or electrical works, must install a minimum number of EV chargers and cater spare electrical capacity for charging.

-Expanding charging network: Voting threshold for resolutions for condominiums to install EV chargers for residents’ use is lowered to 50%, provided:

• Lease contract with EV charging operator is no more than 10 years

• Proposal does not draw down on MCST funds. Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST) refers to the managing body of a strata-titled property such as a condominium.

Document for Singapore EV Charging Bill

Link for the Bill Document | Download here

Source of the story: Singapore Ministry of Transport website and Minister for Transport S Iswaran’s LinkedIn post

More Singapore resources:

• Leading EV charging networks in Singapore
• How fleets are adopting EVs in Singapore
• Report | Singapore EV landscape 2022