Hyundai Ioniq Electric Debuts As Singapore’s First Fast Charging EV Taxi

ComfortDelGro, one of the top taxi operators in Singapore, has started trial of two units of Hyundai Ioniq Electric together with the country’s first fast charging station.

Image from ComfortDelGro Taxi Facebook page

The 50 kW direct current (DC) fast charging station, approved by the Energy Market Authority for operation, is available round-the-clock at Singapore’s Hyundai dealer, Komoco Motors, in Alexandra. A fully charged Ioniq Electric taxi has a range of over 200 kilometres, but the cost of charging to full capacity is only a third of the cost of diesel for the same distance, where the company estimates a cost of SGD2.90 per 100 kilometres. For comparison, a litre of diesel in Singapore is priced about SGD1.68.

Image from ComfortDelGro Taxi Facebook page

Mr Ang Wei Neng, ComfortDelGro Taxi CEO, said: “We have been looking for a reliable, safe and faster charging electric vehicle for quite a while now. We wanted one that would offer our cabbies the shortest or fastest charging time because time is of an essence to them. With the DC fast charger, this electric Hyundai Ioniq can be charged from zero to full in under 30 minutes while the cabby is taking a break. The new full electric Hyundai Ioniq is not only green, it is practical, friendly and provides a substantial saving in fuel cost.”

The Hyundai Ioniq Electric carries a 28 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery over the rear axle and provides a maximum range of 280 km with power consumption as low as 11.5 kWh / 100 kilometres (based on NEDC standard).

The instantly available maximum torque of 295 Nm is delivered by the electric motor with a maximum output of 88 kW (120 PS) by the single-speed reducer transmission accelerating the car up to 165 km/h.

One unique feature in the Ioniq Electric is the paddles mounted at the steering wheel, not for shifting gears, but to adjust the regenerative braking in four stages according to the driver's needs during deceleration and braking.

Closer to home in Malaysia, Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors offers the Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid that combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine with a 44 PS electric motor to deliver a combined system output of 140 PS.

Claimed fuel consumption is under 4 litres per 100 kilometres. The highest scoring vehicle in the Asean NCAP safety assessment is offered with the advanced driving assistance systems (adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, autonomous emergency braking) and is priced from RM 94,788 to RM 109,988.