Electric Cars in Singapore

[Dom]

I used to drive an E89 Z4 sDrive 35i, however I'm now an owner of an i3.
Now that Singapore is finally keen on supporting EVs in Singapore, I hope to share my experience as an adopter and see if anyone has the same.

I would say that whilst it isn't as fast and sporty as the Z4, the extra space and zippy characteristics of the i3 kind of makes up for it.
If your home supports it, the convenience of charging at home is excellent, so much so that I sometimes forget to pump my tyres cos I never visit a petrol station anymore.
I had assumed that maintenance will be a breeze, cause Tesla forums always rave about the lack of parts to maintain unlike an ICE car, and that the main item, the battery is covered by warranty.

I do not own a Tesla, so do not know whether it is the same for the owners, but my i3 is not low maintenance for sure.
The electronics have failed me recently, and it seems that the Performance Motors mechanics do not seem to know exactly what the problem is.
They are sure it's not the battery (which is under warranty), and so charged me (a hefty sum) to replace 2 electronic parts, only to find out later that a 3rd part needs to be changed, meaning more cost, and more inconvenience as I had to wait for the parts to be shipped from overseas.

I am still hopeful that EVs will have a place with ICE cars in the near future, but my experience tells me that there's still a lot of issues, and the lack of technical support and expertise is definitely one to consider, as the mechanic (and you) might not be sure how to to efficiently solve your car problems.

Anyone have the same experience?

 

[Samuel Tan]

Thanks for sharing.
May I know how much they charge u for 2 parts and the 3rd part?

 

[Viper Warrior]

Just my personal opinion, the problem with BMW electric car in Singapore is like "PML: By the way, we sell i3, i8". What's the percentage of BMW i3 or i8 being sold in S'pore as compared to ICE/Hybrid BMW? So I don't think PML invest much on "electrical expertise" in S'pore least to say.
Whereas, for Tesla, they sell nothing but electric car, so at least for the area of diagnosis for problem/fault, they know what they are doing and no need guess work. No need to do "try and error" and see how it goes when there are issues. Good news is that Tesla will be setting up service centre and showroom in S'pore by Mid 2021.

 

[Bentanlh70]

But Tesla’s reputation for quality is atrocious

 

[Citizen69]

With time, many 3rd party ws will pick up the skills and set up the appropriate facilities to service ALL types of EV, not specific to brands. It will be a big untapped market and the first mover with the deepest pocket will most likely benefit.

My bet would be the Comfort Delgro and probably GRAB group

 

[motorknut]

Thanks for sharing, I had been eyeing the i3 for some time. I've tested it and it is an amazing car. I also used to have a Z4, and the i3 handling is still impressive.

But after speaking with various PML staff, I decided against it. Mainly as I wasn't sure how the after sales experience would go. With my 9 year old Z4 I was already waiting on repair parts to be flown in - and I was concerned the i3 would be the same. That said, I've chatted with some other i3 owners and most love their car, and have yet to experience any major repairs. @Dom: are you experiencing these issues relatively early in to the car's lifespan?

I've heard positive things about PI Teslas here, and that the maintenance is pretty smooth sailing. Hopefully with Tesla setting up shop, after sales service will be less of a problem compared to BMW EVs. Unfortunately, BMW is really lagging in the EV race, and I don't see PML being able to step up their game with such low volumes locally.

 

[cisconet1234]

Thanks @Dom sharing his experience. Actually I am eyeing to get one pre-owned i3 but was holding back as I afraid PML might not the full capability to troubleshoot the vehicle. Agent mindset is always just to 1 to 1 replace the part “if” they could identify the faulty part but the question that ponder is ”how soon” they can identify the parts and “how soon” they can fly in the parts if they do not the part in store. Period to troubleshoot and period to replace, the car might spend its days in the service Centre. After much said, it is still a beautiful car in my eyes, rounded, cute and zippy to drive around.