Hyundai widens charging options for its EV buyers

THE Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) has introduced more charging options for owners of its electric vehicles (EVs) in Singapore, partnering multiple entities to create a “worry-free” charging network.

HMC and its Singapore dealer and distributor Komoco Motors announced an expanded charging programme available to owners of its EVs at an event on Tuesday (Jun 20). With the inclusion of different charging solutions, Hyundai said it aims to make owning an EV as easy as possible.

Under this programme, it will continue its existing partnerships with charge point operator (CPO) Charge+ and EV charger manufacturer Schneider Electric, and add new partners OCBC Bank and mobile EV charging service Power Up Tech (P.Up).

Andy Kang, vice-president of the sales innovation group at Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre Singapore (HMGICS), told The Business Times that with multiple charging options, it wants to create “one solution, end-to-end” for EV owners no matter what type of residence they have.

While Singapore’s EV charging network is fast expanding, charging availability for those living in HDB flats or condos – which make up approximately 95 per cent of residential properties here – is still limited. Upon purchase, an EV buyer will typically receive the choice of a home charger (only for those with landed properties) or charging credits at a single CPO (for apartment dwellers).

Kang said that P.Up’s mobile charging service could be of particular interest to EV owners living in condominiums or HDB flats.

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P.Up’s charging van will provide on-location charging, topping up an EV up to 80 per cent charge.

Bookings can be made two hours in advance and vehicle access is managed remotely through Hyundai’s own application, so owners do not have to be physically present at their EV to unlock it.

The programme provides a year of free P.Up charging, with up to six charges a month.

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Hyundai said it is the first carmaker to provide the convenience of “island-wide charging across different CPOs” thanks to its tie-up with OCBC.

Hyundai EV owners with an OCBC credit card will receive S$2,000 of charging credits. These credits can be used at the majority of CPOs here: Bluecharge by Total Energies, CDG ENGIE, Charge+, chargEV, Shell Recharge, SP Group, Volt, and Voltality.

An OCBC credit card must be used for payment through the app of each CPO to utilise the charging credits. Payment by OCBC debit cards are currently not supported. (*see amendment note)

Chan Sow Han, OCBC’s head of group lifestyle financing, said that this is part of the bank’s support for the national drive towards cleaner vehicles, and that the partnership with Hyundai will incentivise OCBC’s customers to consider electric vehicles more seriously.

Hyundai will also continue its partnerships with Schneider and Charge+ to provide home charging and destination charging services, respectively.

Buyers of a Hyundai EV will receive a free Schneider 7.4 kilowatt (kW) home charger, with installation included.

They will also have access to the Charge+ network, which includes around 1,000 charge points and Singapore’s fastest 120 kW direct current (DC) fast chargers.

The standard option is 220 kWh of charging per month valid for 18 months, while higher mileage users can opt for 330kWh per month for a year. The credits can also be used in condominiums with Charge+ stations – which currently number around 200 – if the owner is a resident.

Hyundai also announced that it will introduce its E-Pit ultra-fast charging stations to Singapore in the future, at HMGICS. These will charge compatible Hyundai models to 80 per cent in 18 minutes.

Kang said that with the new programme in its nascent state, Hyundai is focusing its roll-out and success in the Singapore market first, but that it was “definitely interested” in expanding the approach to neighbouring countries at a later stage.

*Amendment note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said that users of Hyundai and OCBC’s S$2,000 worth of charging credits would be able to pay for EV charging without using the app of each individual CPO. This is incorrect, as an OCBC credit card must be used for payment of EV charging fees through the app of the individual CPO to utilise the credit. The article above has been revised to reflect this.