Singapore's petrol stations dwindle amid EV surge, now offering sushi and charging points

SINGAPORE, Aug 26 — The number of petrol stations in Singapore has decreased over the past two decades, reflecting a global trend as the demand for petrol declines amid the growing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs).

The Strait Times reported that despite this, the remaining petrol stations have diversified their offerings, selling a wider range of retail items such as sushi, bubble tea, fast food, and even kaya toast, alongside providing charging points for EVs.

According to petrol station operators, there are currently 184 petrol stations in Singapore, a 17.1 per cent drop from the peak of 222 stations in 2003.

The news report further stated that the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), which oversees the planning of petrol station locations, stated that it considers national and local land needs, as well as key trends like the rising adoption of EVs, when allocating space for these stations. The authority noted that the number of stations has remained "largely stable" in recent years.

However, there are indications that demand for petrol has decreased, which experts attribute to advancements in fuel-efficient automotive technology and the rising popularity of EVs.

Data from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) showed that the average annual mileage of a car in 2023 was 16,300km, a 19.3 per cent decline from 20,200km in 2003. This reduction in distance traveled translates to lower fuel consumption for most vehicles.

Newer car models are also more fuel-efficient. For example, the latest Toyota Camry, a large sedan with a 2.5-litre hybrid engine, uses 28.1 per cent less fuel compared to a previous model from two generations ago with a 2-litre engine and no hybrid assistance. Hybrid technology reduces fuel consumption by decreasing the load on the internal combustion engine, while EVs do not use any petrol at all—both are becoming increasingly popular.

As of the end of 2023, there were 79,256 petrol-electric hybrid cars and 11,941 fully electric cars in Singapore, accounting for 14 per cent of the total car population. This is a significant increase from just 0.8 per cent of the car population in 2013.

The number of EVs is growing rapidly. In the first seven months of 2024 alone, the number of EVs surged by 60 per cent to 19,098 vehicles, with EVs making up 32.1 per cent of new car registrations during that period.