SINGAPORE – Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) were a draw at the first day of The Car Expo on Oct 5, with many brands being exhibited for the first time at the annual car show, giving visitors the opportunity to sit in and compare models.

Among them were those looking to make the switch from internal combustion engine vehicles and those curious about models by Chinese EV manufacturers, many of which entered the Singapore market within the last year.

The excitement surrounding the various EVs on show charged up an otherwise quiet show, with car dealers noting that high certificate of entitlement (COE) prices have likely caused footfall to the show to slow down.

Debuting at The Car Expo were Chinese EV brands Xpeng and Zeekr, as well as Dongfeng, which launched officially in Singapore on Sept 25.

Mr Soh Ming, managing director of Dongfeng authorised distributor Volt Auto, said he was encouraged by the good response from potential buyers, with many aware of the brand despite how new it was to the local market.

The Dongfeng Box, on sale at prices starting from about $148,000, is at a price point that lowers the barrier to entry for those looking to own their first EV, Mr Soh said.

Many visitors that The Straits Times spoke to at the car fair were exploring their options for a first EV.

Among them was Mr Tony Chia, who has about four years left on his current car's COE and was at the fair to consider the pros and cons of EV and hybrid models.

The 51-year-old, who runs a seafood sales business, said the high COE prices have not put him off from considering a new purchase as he needs a car for work and his current vehicle still holds considerable resale value.

“I spent about $1,000 per month of petrol, and so I wanted to have a look at the EVs to compare potential cost savings,” said Mr Chia, who added that a major deciding factor for him was the lifespan of EV batteries.

Also exploring the range of Chinese EVs on offer at the fair was Mr Ng Wei Long, 36, who works in a bank.

“It's a good opportunity to come and see them all under one roof, and I was intrigued about what the Chinese manufacturers have to offer, given their increasing share of the global EV market," said Mr Ng, who drives a Mercedes-Benz GLA.

He said he was impressed with the design and noise insulation of the models he viewed.

Visitors viewing different models of Mazda cars on display at the Car Expo on Oct 5.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Despite the Oct 4 release of a slightly higher COE quota for the upcoming bidding period, car dealers said the marginal increase did little to boost turnout, which was low, as they had expected.

The Land Transport Authority announced 15,834 COEs available for bidding between November 2024 and January 2025 – 3.6 per cent more than the 15,283 certificates on offer in the current quarter, which ends in October.

Mr Chong Kah Wei, managing director for Mazda at multi-brand dealership Eurokars, said the crowd was thinner than in past shows, with the Expo's Halls 3 and 4 filling up only from about 2.30pm. In previous years, people would arrive when the show started in the morning.

"Humans being humans, they would like to see dips in prices before they make purchases,” said Mr Chong.

Still, he was glad that deals were closed, with many shoppers genuinely looking to make a purchase instead of window shopping, he added.

Visitors viewing the Mercedes GLB 180 Progressive at the Car Expo on Oct 5.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Mr Ng Choon Wee, the commercial director of Hyundai distributor Komoco Motors, echoed observations about consumers' lingering caution.

"Even if the supply is there, with high COE prices, people will make their calculations before taking the plunge for a capital purchase,” he said.

“It's only Day 1, and we'll see how things go tomorrow. Some shoppers browse first and return to make a purchase – hopefully that happens,” he added.

The Car Expo, organised by SPH Media which publishes The Straits Times, is open from 10am to 8pm on Oct 6.

Source: The Straits Times