In International News, Public Transport / By Danny Tan / 24 August 2018 11:06 am / 10 comments

Grab is building a fast-charging electric vehicle fleet in Singapore. The ride hailing giant announced a strategic partnership with SP Group yesterday, where Grab’s 200 new EVs will use SP’s fast-charging network in the city state.

The new fleet will be progressively rolled out in Singapore from early 2019. Drivers on this new model will enjoy preferential EV charging rates from SP at all its charging stations island-wide. With the cost benefits offered by EVs, they can expect to earn up to 25% more in daily income compared to those on a regular petrol car, and up to 20% more compared to a hybrid car, Grab claims.

The announcement marks SP’s first fleet partnership since it unveiled plans in June to build Singapore’s largest and fastest public EV charging network. SP has committed to build 500 publicly accessible charging points, comprising both DC (direct current) and AC (alternating current) chargers by 2020.

Grab and SP will study EV usage patterns and behaviours to improve the accessibility and utilisation of EV charging stations. SP plans to install its charging points in convenient locations, many within close-proximity to coffee shops and food outlets. This will allow Grab drivers to match their charging time with meal and driving breaks.

“We have heard from our driver-partners that a faster charge time and longer EV driving range are important considerations for them when making the switch to EVs. We have taken their feedback on board and have negotiated the best deals to bring them concrete savings and the best vehicle model to cater to their driving needs,” said Lim Kell Jay, head of Grab Singapore.

“We are proud and happy to partner with SP, which has a long history of serving Singaporeans. With SP joining our consortium of EV partners, Grab is in a unique position to help drive a cleaner, greener Singapore by encouraging more of our drivers to adopt EVs. Grab operates the largest electric and hybrid vehicle fleet in Southeast Asia today, and we are committed to delivering the benefits from EVs to more of our driver-partners,” he added.

Specific details on pricing of charging facilities and EV models will be disclosed towards the end of the year when SP Group is expected to set up the first 30 charging points.

Grab does not explicitly mention the EV model it will be using, but the car in the pic above is the Hyundai Ioniq Electric, supplied by Singaporean official Hyundai importer Komoco. Earlier this year, Grab and Hyundai announced a strategic partnership which also saw the Korean automaker place a direct investment in the Singapore-based tech company.

“With a sporty style and spacious interior that will appeal to Grab drivers, the new EV model boasts an estimated range of 400 km per charge,” the ride hailing company says, adding that 40 minutes of DC charging will give a full day’s worth of driving. In addition, some of SP Group’s venue partners will offer discounted parking to EV drivers using SP’s charging network. This partnership provides drivers with greater time and cost savings, maximising their daily income, Grab says.

GALLERY: Hyundai Ioniq Electric

