Grab is jumping on the electric car bandwagon in Singapore. It has announced a strategic partnership with SP Group where Grab will introduce 200 brand new fast-charging electric cars and utilize SP’s fast-charging network.
Coming your way in 2019
The new fleet of electric vehicles will be progressively introduced in Singapore from early 2019. Grab describes the new electric vehicle as sporty and has a spacious interior that will appeal to Grab drivers.
From the photo taken in the joint release, it is highly possible that the new car is the fully electric Hyundai Ioniq. The car has an estimated range of 400km per charge.
Charging Stations
Under the partnership, SP Group has committed to building 500 charging points by 2020. The charging points will be comprised of DC (direct current) and AC (alternating current). More than 100 will be DC charging points, which is a fast charge technology that can fully charge an electric car in approximately 40 minutes. The rest of the charging point will run on AC, which will take a longer time to a full charge.
Grab and SP Group has plans to install its charging point in publicly accessible and convenient locations. Many of the locations will be within close proximity to coffee shops and food outlets, which will allow Grab drivers to go for their meal break while their vehicle is being charged nearby.
More Earnings for Drivers
Drivers are expected to earn more through the cost benefits offered by the electric vehicles. The partnership will allow drivers on this new fleet to enjoy preferential charging rates from SP Group at their charging stations islandwide.
Drivers can expect to earn up to 25% more in daily income compared to regular petrol vehicle and 20% more compared to a hybrid vehicle.
‘Electrifying’ the Industry
The shift toward electric vehicles is nothing new. Todayonline reported that Comfort Delgro has placed an order for 1,200 petrol-electric Hyundai Ioniq Hybrids and they are slated to arrive in 2019.
HDT Taxi, the taxi-operator who hires its drivers on a full-time basis, also owns 100 electric-powered taxis by BYD. It has recently been awarded a full taxi operator licence and plans to increase its fleet to 800 in the coming years.
The shift towards electric car will bring many environmental and monetary benefits. When the infrastructure for electric vehicles is widely available, it would be easier to convince car users to swap for greener cars.
