Singapore is giving electric vehicle (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) owners a direct say in how their vehicles will be identified on the road, with an online poll opening on Sept. 25 for three shortlisted licence plate designs.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said the three options include one of the original green designs proposed earlier this year and two newly developed blue designs. The polling period will run until Oct. 9.
The differentiated plates are being introduced primarily for safety reasons. EVs can present specific hazards during crashes or fires because of their high-voltage batteries. Clearly identifiable plates would allow first responders and members of the public to recognise an EV more quickly and take appropriate precautions around a damaged vehicle.
The proposal follows consultations held in March with authorised motor dealers, sign-craft workshops and individual motorists. While stakeholders generally understood the operational need for distinctive plates, some respondents raised concerns about the appearance of the original green designs.
LTA and SCDF subsequently examined other designs but found that some options could compromise the visibility of vehicle registration numbers. A coloured side band, for example, would require smaller characters and would not be suitable for double-row licence plates.
The two new blue options were developed with Singapore’s road conditions in mind. Authorities said the shades are intended to remain visible during both daylight and low-light conditions while being recognisable to motorists, first responders and traffic and enforcement cameras.
The poll will be hosted through the OneMotoring website. Registered EV and PHEV owners can access a FormSG poll through a banner on the site and use SingPass to cast their vote.
Only registered EV and PHEV owners will have their votes counted. Each owner can submit one vote, regardless of how many qualifying vehicles they own. People who own EVs or PHEVs both personally and through a company can vote once in each capacity. If multiple votes are submitted, only the latest one will be counted.
The differentiated licence plates are part of Singapore’s broader effort to prepare emergency responders for the growing number of electrified vehicles on its roads. Transport authorities said in an earlier update that they were studying additional designs following public feedback, with the final design and implementation approach still being developed.
The latest poll will allow EV and PHEV owners to influence the final design before Singapore moves ahead with the new identification system.
