COE Watch The Straits Times

A veteran transport reporter tells us what can be done to bring down COE prices and how to buy a new car.
Synopsis: The Straits Times offers expert insights if you are in the market for a new vehicle or are tracking transportation trends.
In the first of a two-part conversation, COE Watch host Lee Nian Tjoe speaks with Christopher Tan, senior transport correspondent at The Straits Times, to get a grip of the current COE system. 
He also shares his journey as a veteran reporter, having been with SPH since 1983. This was four years before Singapore had its first MRT Line, and before the Land Transport Authority was established. 
He also offers tips on how to shop for a car and recounts some of his most memorable drives, having tested more than 3,000 cars and counting. 
Part Two of this chat with Chris Tan will be next out on Aug 1. 
Highlights (click/tap above):
3:00 Why newsmakers are often wary of Christopher Tan from The Straits Times
6:00 Recounting his “embarrassing” first car review
12:00 How electric vehicle adoption will peak around the world
16:10 What flying a helicopter is like
26:00 Reviewing a car fairly for the reader, not the car company 
27:55 The impact of high COE prices on drivers and non-drivers alike
Read more transport related stories here: https://str.sg/wt8G
Produced by: Lee Nian Tjoe (niantjoel@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hana Chen and Teo Tong Kai
Edited by: Fa’izah Sani
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: podcast@sph.com.sg
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
#coewatch
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This car-sharing service managed to convince the government to allow them to match private car owners to hirers.
Synopsis: The Straits Times offers expert insights if you are in the market for a new vehicle or are tracking transportation trends.
Car-sharing causes traffic congestion because the cars are more heavily used; the cars tend to be abused by the hirers; and in the event of an accident, the insurance excess to pay will be stratospheric - beliefs that Mr Dirk-Jan Ter Horst disagrees with. 
The Dutch co-founder of peer-to-peer car sharing platform Drive lah, which has been matching private car owners to hirers since 2019, speaks with host Lee Nian Tjoe to make sense of it all. 
Highlights (click/tap above):
4:02 Using data to convince the Land Transport Authority that peer-to-peer car-sharing works.
13:20 The secret ingredient to running a “two-sided marketplace”.
22:59 Driving a rental car into Malaysia
25:50 Why a resident in Marine Parade hires a car in Jurong. 
35:01 Being a good host 
43:14 The goal is to make cars accessible to the public. 
Produced by: Lee Nian Tjoe (niantjoel@sph.com.sg), 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: podcast@sph.com.sg
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
#coewatch
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 (niantjoel@sph.com.sg), 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: podcast@sph.com.sg
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
#coewatch
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The head of the EV-electric shares some of the learnings from Singapore’s electrification journey.
Synopsis: The Straits Times offers expert insights if you are in the market for a new vehicle or are tracking transportation trends.
The pace of EV charger deployment at HDB carparks in 2024 will likely be slower than in the previous year - at least initially - before things pick up speed again. According to EV-Electric's chief executive, Mr Derek Tan, the target is to have another 700 or so chargers ready by 2024 and another 700 by the end of 2025. 
The head of the company set up by the Land Transport Authority to coordinate the roll-out of Singapore’s public EV charging network said that the data shows that the bulk of the charging at the housing estates happen at night. As EVs become more popular, will we see users fighting over who gets to use the chargers when they return home from work?
Highlights (click/tap above):
5:50 The expected slowing down in the rate of charger deployment in 2024 and how every HDB carpark is different  
12:05 The struggle between taking up a parking space for charging versus the needs of those who do not drive an EV
15:00 Data shows that 60 per cent of charging happens overnight
17:30 Ideas to encourage better charging etiquette - from fines to imposing a minimum spend
30:00 The one technological development that will turbocharge the deployment of chargers. 
36:20 Why there should be parity in terms of the total cost of owning and using an EV with an internal combustion engine option.
Produced by: Lee Nian Tjoe (niantjoel@sph.com.sg), 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: podcast@sph.com.sg
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
#coewatch
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The head of the industry body for motorcycle sellers and workshops recounts how the association has been pushing for change, from COEs to rules on safety equipment
Synopsis: The Straits Times offers expert insights if you are in the market for a new vehicle or are tracking transportation trends.
With all the attention on certificate of entitlement (COEs) for cars, it is easy to forget about the motorcycles, which are the smallest of all vehicle types on the road.
But as this conversation with Mr Rex Tan, president of the Singapore Motor Cycle Trade Association reveals, the industry body has a big voice, and the Government is listening, from asking for reviews to the COE supply to rules on safety equipment.
Highlights (click/tap above):
4:10 The price is right! If you are talking about motorcycle COE premiums. 
15:25 Why the motorcycle insurance premium seems so high
20:40 The practice of penalties for paying back loans early
25:00 What consumers have to do to avoid getting a bad financing deal
26:15 The saying about the rider protecting the motorcycle
27:30 An ongoing push to review motorcycle helmet safety standards
Produced by: Lee Nian Tjoe (niantjoel@sph.com.sg), 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: podcast@sph.com.sg
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:
The Usual Place: https://str.sg/5nfm 
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
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
ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX
Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
---
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
---
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#coewatch
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No other car company has invested as much as Porsche to sell cars to consumers in Singapore with a high-end “studio” in the heart of the city. How is it working?
Synopsis: The Straits Times offers expert insights if you are in the market for a new vehicle or are tracking transportation trends.
Cars in Singapore are the most expensive in the world. In this episode, ST's senior transport correspondent Lee Nian Tjoe visits the Porsche Studio Singapore in Guoco Midtown along Beach Road, to speak with Mr Brendan Mok, head of PR and communications at Porsche Asia Pacific.
They discuss how the German sportscar brand is going to sell more units in Singapore.
Highlights (click/tap above):
4:30 What is so different about how Porsche is selling cars in Singapore? 
17:20 How frequently do car companies review their contracts with dealers?
19:00 Answering the EV question 
23:25 Only one in five Porsches sold are actually “sports cars” 
28:30 Porsche’s sales projection for Singapore in 2024 
36:30 When there will be a garage sale of Porsche in Singapore
Produced by: Lee Nian Tjoe (niantjoel@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh, T Kumar & Willy Wong
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: podcast@sph.com.sg
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:
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
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
ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX
Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
---
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
---
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#coewatch
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.