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While electric cars are undeniably better for the environment, it would do us good to pay more attention to the promise of "zero-emissions". Especially here: On tiny, sunny Singapore.
Category: Car Ownership Advice
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While we're huge fans of electric vehicles here at sgCarMart, we also need to admit that discussions surrounding electric vehicles have been quite trigger-happy with buzz-terms like "green", "environmentally friendly" and most notably (notoriously), "zero emissions".
As more and more EVs arrive at our doorsteps and shopping malls, however, it's worth taking some time to pause and consider the bigger, more complete picture. Across various infrastructural contexts, the green credentials of a single model can differ quite significantly. Here, we attempt to understand how Singapore's energy scene continues to interact with our cars of tomorrow.
Zero emissions: One part of the picture


1. Tailpipe emissions, a.k.a the shining star (or culprit, depending on your perspective) of most policy reforms and carmaker announcements worldwide.
This is the one that also dictates your new Merc's Vehicular Emissions Schemes (VES) banding plus rebates locally. As a double-pronged weapon contributing to both global warming and air pollution, tailpipe emissions are completely eradicated with an EV. A good start… but most certainly not where things end.
2. Grid emissions, a.k.a. the one that got Joe Nguyen, the LTA, and even Elon Musk and PM Lee themselves all embroiled in the Tesla Model S saga of 2016. "Grid" here refers to the electricity grid from which a given area draws power.
While electric vehicles are technically emission-free as they're zipping around silently (okay, with the exception of BlueSG's mini-rockets), the same probably can't be said about the electricity itself on which they run.
After all, electricity has to be generated. As it stands, natural gas - the cleanest-burning among fossil fuels - is responsible for close to 95 per cent of our electricity generation, meaning our electricity technically isn't emission-free. This explains why EVs still get taxed for emissions locally using a calculated Grid Emission Factor (GEF) - this number been steadily decreasing over the years, though; hooray!
This one's a bit more important for Singapore so hang on just a while; we'll get into this again further down.


Yes - it already begins when your new Tesla Model 3's headlamps are being affixed to its body. Apart from emissions from manufacturing plants, environmental degradation also occurs when mining for rare earth materials, such as lithium and cobalt - essential components for many batteries. More complications follow when EVs need to be scrapped, since batteries need to be recycled and disposed of safely.
Still, with the advancement of technology and scaling up of EV-production, recycling processes are being optimised increasingly so that fewer components go to the landfill whenever an electric car (and its battery) finally says goodbye to the tarmac. The end game is a circular economy, where everything is recycled, reused or repurposed.
Most carmakers are also making sure their electric cars aren't just "green" in name. The BMW i3, for instance, features an interior that comprises 25 per cent renewable raw materials and recycled plastics.