Tesla Singapore is set to open a car servicing center in Toa Payoh next month. The American EV maker will soon operate out of a space formerly occupied by Tan Chong Motor’s Nissan dealership, according to The Straits Times.
The only Tesla model available for sale in Singapore is the Model 3 compact. The standard range series costs SGD 116,364 (USD 87,000) before certificate of entitlement. The company has appointed Christopher Bousigues as country manager, who is currently under stay-home-notice due to COVID-19 precautionary measures.
According to the electric car firm’s job portal, it is currently hiring for five roles in Singapore, including a supply chain manager, advisors, analysts, as well as temporary delivery assistants.
Tesla’s service centers provide car repair, which includes minor dents, scuffs, and scratches, but also in the case of damage to the suspension, axles, wheels, or glass, the firm told CNBC earlier this year. The EV giant runs about 140 service centers in its home market, where it plans to open more.
US customers can select the services from the Tesla app. It is not confirmed if the procedure will be the same in Singapore. A check on sgcarmart.com showed that two companies currently specialize in Tesla repair and servicing—Hong Seh Motors and Autostrasse.
In January, Tesla released a teaser on its website presenting its first Singapore-based supercharger, a 480-volt direct current fast charger that can power up a car in around 30 minutes, whereas normal chargers take several hours. As of now, the target opening date has yet to be confirmed.
Tesla said that its vehicles are compatible with both Type 2 AC and CCS2 DC fast-charging stations which have been deployed by third-party vendors like SP Group and Shell Greenlots.
Singapore’s 2040 plans
Singapore has set a goal to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, and it’s making big bets on electrification to cut greenhouse gases and slow climate change.
Right now, only 3% out of 600,000 private vehicles run on lower-emission hybrid engines. The government has announced a short-term rebate to encourage more drivers to make the switch.
New electric car drivers can qualify for an early adopter rebate on their vehicle’s additional registration fee, capped at SGD 20,000 (USD 15,000), which will expire at the end of this year. According to the Land Transport Authority, the rebate is expected to lower the cost of an electric car by 11% on average, bringing the price of those cars closer to petrol cars.
This article was originally published by Vulcan Post.