19 July 2018 – Not the first. But certainly the fastest – charger that is.

Today, ComfortDelGro Taxi is putting two fully-electric Hyundai Ioniq taxis on trial. Unlike existing electric taxis in Singapore that take a couple of hours to charge, this electric Ioniq taxi – the first of its kind here – charges fully in just under 30 minutes. The DC fast charging station, approved by the Energy Market Authority for operation, is available round-the-clock at Komoco Motors in Alexandra. A fully charged electric Ioniq taxi travels more than 200km, but the cost of charging it fully is only a-third of the cost of diesel for the same distance.

The electric Ioniq comes equipped with smart battery technology that enables the paddleshift regenerative braking system to charge the battery with electric energy during deceleration and braking. The battery charges even as the taxi is going downslope. It also has the lane keeping assist system as well as autonomous emergency braking, smart cruise control and blind spot detecting technologies – features similar to its hybrid counterpart.

Mr Ang Wei Neng, ComfortDelGro Taxi CEO, said: “We have been looking for a reliable, safe and faster charging electric vehicle for quite a while now. We wanted one that would offer our cabbies the shortest or fastest charging time because time is of essence to them. With the DC fast charger, this electric Hyundai Ioniq can be charged from zero to full in under 30 minutes while the cabby is taking a break. The new full electric Hyundai Ioniq is not only green, it is practical, friendly and provides substantial saving in fuel cost.”

Read full article here.