March 17, 2016

Taxing Tesla: Interview with Tesla owner Joe Nguyen discussing anti electric vehicle policy in Singapore [Video]

Controversy is surrounding the first Tesla imported into Singapore. We've got the latest news and an intriguing first-hand interview with Joe Nguyen, the Tesla owner at the center of all this controversy. First, some background. According the The Globe and Mail*, when Nguyen imported the first Tesla Model S to Singapore he was hoping to receive a low emissions rebate of $14,550 for the high-powered electric car. Instead he was actually charged a $14,550 tax for having a car considered to be a major polluter.

“I don’t get it, there are no emissions,” said Nguyen. “The CEVS (Carbon Emissions-based Vehicle Scheme) is meant to evaluate internal combustion engines, which includes hybrids.” CEVS rebates and taxes are based on the United Nations standards on how to measure energy use. Instead of the energy consumption being measured from ‘tank-to-wheel’, it was measured from ‘well-to-wheel’.

Jean Rodriguez, chief of the information unit at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, noted that Singapore appears to have been the only national regulator to have included power grid emissions in the rating of electric vehicles. After hearing of the news in Singapore, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted that he contacted Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and various agencies are investigating.

So... what does Joe Nguyen think about all this? Check out his exclusive interview with Revv Motoring Singapore* filmed earlier this week...