It is the biggest purchase of electric vehicles here. And unlike some electric fleets here, Singapore Power's is not tax-exempt. The power giant has been a proponent of electric vehicles for about 20 years, and has included a small number of electric vehicles in its fleet in the past.

This time, it is doing a full-scale roll-out, through its electricity distribution arm SP PowerGrid. Over the past decades, Singapore's journey to go electric has been in fits and starts, given challenges such as higher upfront costs and a lack of charging stations. The vans will be the Renault Kangoo Maxi ZE (zero-emission) - a longer version of the Kangoo. Singapore Power has ordered a mix of two-seater cargo vans and five-seater passenger vans.

Each of them has an average Open Market Value (cost before taxes) of around $36,000, versus $22,000 for a diesel equivalent. According to Renault agent Wearnes Automotive, the passenger version is around $130,000 with a Certificate of Entitlement (COE). The cargo version is $60,000 before COE.

However, carbon rebates accorded to these greener vehicles will make them only 10 percent to 15 percent costlier than conventional equivalents. The Kangoo Maxi has a stated range of 170km. Singapore Environment Council chairman Isabella Loh called Singapore Power's move 'timely, commendable, and encouraging'.