S1E12: Why COE bidding gives this seasoned motor dealer a heartache

A seasoned motor industry insider says the COE system is bad for health because of the stress that comes with not knowing “the full picture”. Synopsis: The Straits Times offers expert insights if you are in the market for a new vehicle or are tracking transportation trends. The adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in Singapore seems to be tracking well. In 2023, 18.2 per cent of all new car registrations were EVs. This was up from 11.7 per cent in 2022. In this episode, host Lee Nian Tjoe speaks with Ms Sabrina Sng, managing director at Wearnes Automotive. This seasoned motor dealer - with 20 years of experience - believes that uncertainty over the price outlook of certificate of entitlement (COEs) is discouraging the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). This is worsened by what she considers to be a premature cut in incentives to encourage EV adoption.  Highlights (click/tap above): 7:30 Call for changes to the COE bidding system - why motor dealers want to cut out companies, like those in private hire, from bidding for COEs because they distort the market 12:00 Reduction of various incentives to encourage EV adoption came too soon  19:38 High COE premiums have pushed up prices of EVs, diminishing the distinction  between premium and mass market 21:40 Making the case for EVs to have higher tax rebates 26:42 Does Tesla still have an edge in the automotive world? Produced by: Lee Nian Tjoe ([email protected]), Ernest Luis and Teo Tong Kai Edited by: Teo Tong Kai Follow COE Watch Podcast here: Channel: https://str.sg/iTtE Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/iqW2 Spotify: https://str.sg/iqgB SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: [email protected] Read Lee Nian Tjoe's articles: https://str.sg/wt8G Follow Lee Nian Tjoe on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/iqkJ Read more COE articles: https://str.sg/iGKC --- Discover more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX --- ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- Special edition series: True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2 Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa --- Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX #coewatchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.