As Singapore's electric vehicle market matures, Auto Selection, the pre-owned vehicle arm of Sime Motors Singapore, has introduced a new dedicated used electric vehicle (EV) brand aimed at addressing one of the biggest concerns among second-hand electric car buyers: Battery health.
Called EV NEXT, the new initiative offers a curated range of pre-owned electric vehicles backed by complimentary battery State-of-Health (SOH) testing and certification. The company has also launched Drivecare, a new multi-franchise aftersales facility designed to support servicing and maintenance of its growing portfolio of used vehicles, including EVs.
The move comes as Singapore's EV market enters a new phase, with increasing numbers of early adopters trading in their electric cars for newer models. This has resulted in a growing supply of used EVs entering the market while attracting more first-time EV buyers looking for a lower-cost entry point into electric mobility. According to Auto Selection, it has seen rising interest from customers exploring pre-owned EV options at its showroom.
EV NEXT's inventory will primarily be sourced from within Sime Motors Singapore's ecosystem, including demonstration vehicles, management cars and customer trade-ins from Performance Motors Limited (PML) and Vantage Automotive Limited (VAL). Additional vehicles will also come from Auto Selection trade-ins and direct purchases.
Unlike conventional used cars, where mileage is typically the primary indicator of wear and tear, battery condition has a significant impact on the usability, performance and long-term ownership costs of an EV. To address this, every EV marketed under EV NEXT will undergo battery health testing, with only vehicles achieving a minimum SOH score of 85% qualifying for retail sale.
Customers will receive a certificate detailing the battery's condition, alongside confirmation that the vehicle has passed a 72-point inspection, mileage verification and accident-free checks. Battery health will be categorised as either "Excellent" for vehicles with SOH of 85% and above, or "Pristine" for those with SOH exceeding 90%.
"We want to give customers greater confidence in their purchase while helping to build a more trusted and robust pre-owned ecosystem," said Lawrence Tan, Managing Director of Performance Motors Limited and Sime Motors Singapore. He added that the pre-owned segment will play an increasingly important role in expanding access to electric mobility in Singapore.
Christopher Chin, Managing Director of Auto Selection and FASST Leasing, described battery health as "the new mileage" in today's EV market.
"As the EV market grows, battery health has become the new mileage, but this information is not always readily available in today's pre-owned EV industry, making it harder for consumers to make an informed choice," he said. "EV NEXT was created to address this challenge."
Supporting the launch of EV NEXT is the opening of Drivecare, a new servicing and refurbishment facility that will prepare EV NEXT vehicles before retail sale and provide ongoing aftersales support.
According to Lawrence Tan, the facility is intended to strengthen customer support beyond the point of purchase by providing access to trusted servicing expertise throughout the ownership journey.
Together, EV NEXT and Drivecare form part of Auto Selection's broader strategy to strengthen its position in Singapore's evolving used-car market, particularly as demand for pre-owned EVs continues to grow. By combining battery health transparency, quality assurance measures and dedicated aftersales support, the company aims to make used EV ownership more accessible and reassuring for consumers.
The EV NEXT showroom and Drivecare facility are located at 1 Ubi Road 4, Singapore (408607).
