The adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in Singapore is increasing rapidly, but industry experts and consumers indicate that the primary challenge now lies not in the number of charging stations, but in their locations and whether charging infrastructure and business models are aligned with actual user demand.

Electric vehicles accounted for nearly 60% of new car registrations in the first quarter of 2026, surpassing internal combustion engine and hybrid models for the first time. This represents an increase from 45% in 2025 and 3.8% in 2021.

Industry participants stated that the latest figures reflect a shift in consumer behaviour and vehicle adoption patterns, rather than a temporary increase in EV demand.

Singapore is entering a phase of EV adoption similar to that seen in markets such as Norway, the Netherlands, and parts of China, according to Associate Professor Jimmy Peng from the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Associate Professor Victor Kwan from the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) Academy attributed the increase in EV ownership partly to government policies intended to support EV adoption while discouraging the use of higher-emission vehicles, including increased surcharges under the Vehicular Emissions Scheme.

The expansion of EV model availability, government rebates, and competitively priced Category A certificate of entitlement (COE) models from Chinese manufacturers have also contributed to increased consumer adoption.

As of March, approximately 30,500 charging points had been installed across Singapore, exceeding the halfway point towards the national target of 60,000 charging points by 2030. Of these, around 3,500 are fast chargers.

Peng stated that charger numbers alone are becoming a less effective measure of EV infrastructure readiness. With close to 60% of new vehicle registrations now consisting of EVs, the focus is shifting from the total number of charging points to the availability of usable charging capacity, charger utilisation rates, charging speeds, and deployment in locations with higher demand.

More than 90% of Housing and Development Board (HDB) car parks are equipped with slow chargers. Fast-charging hubs are also being introduced, with at least one planned for every HDB town by the end of 2027. However, some EV owners reported having to wait for charging access or travel to shopping centres to use fast chargers, as residential charging stations are frequently occupied during evening hours.

A significant constraint remains the electrical infrastructure capacity in many HDB precincts and older condominium developments constructed before 2010, which may limit the pace of future EV charging expansion.

Experts stated that EV infrastructure planners will need to model future increases in charging demand resulting from rising EV adoption, while also accounting for improvements in battery technology and charging efficiency. This approach is expected to improve projections related to the pace of charging infrastructure deployment, charger types, and installation locations across Singapore's EV ecosystem.