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LTA to add up to 20,000 COEs across vehicle categories from Feb 2025 Lets start guessing, when will COE price come down, or will it at all? Managing down COE price in prep for election? 😁but if they will to releaae it progressively over a few years, i guess there will be not much effect. Lets see how it will play out, meantime, for those who want to change car, there is no rush for now, it is worth waiting, unless COE price takes a nosedive in the next few months https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/lta-to-add-up-to-20000-coes-across-vehicle-categories-over-next-few-years-from-feb-2025

With many rushing to see lion (not run lion hor) over the past weekends, I wonder how many here are eagerly waiting for this COE bidding exercise... Cat A : 1,034 Cat B : 677 Cat C : 248 Cat D : 520 Cat E : 191

Community Service brought to you by MCF Good Luck to all vested! 3 useful links for MCFers Real Time COE Bidding Results Check Your COE Bidding Status Latest COE Prices and Trending Highest Record Cat A => $106,000 [Oct 2023] Cat B => $150,001 [Oct 2023] Cat C => $91,101 [Mar 2023] Cat D => $13,189 [Nov 2022] Cat E => $158,004 [Oct 2023] Lowest Record Cat A => $2 [Nov 2008] Cat B => $200 [Jan 2009] Cat C => $1 [Mar 2007] Cat D => $1 [Mar 2003] Cat E => $3,000 [Feb 2009] 24 Months Trend Chart (Mar 2021 - Feb 2023) *chart taken from www.sgcarmart.com Upcoming Bidding Exercise The details of the December 1st open bidding exercise for Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) are as follows: Tender opens: Monday, 2 December 2024, 12 noon Tender closes: Wednesday, 4 December 2024, 4.00 pm Tender results: Wednesday, 4 December 2024 (Available on www.onemotoring.lta.gov.sg) The total quota available for this tender is 2,684 for the following vehicle categories: NON-TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category A : Cars (up to 1,600cc and maximum power up to 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power up to 110kW (147bhp)) => 1,037 Category B : Cars (above 1,600cc or maximum power above 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power above 110kW (147bhp)) => 689 Category D : Motorcycles => 517 TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category C : Goods Vehicles and Buses => 262 Category E : Open Category => 179

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/should-i-get-a-new-car-or-revalidate-the-coe-on-my-existing-one Saw this title but I have no subscriptions to read the article. It is interesting to revisit this topic now that COE prices is at 10 year high. If one has a lots of spare cash, then this discussion is irrelevant, please skip and go straight to sgcarmrt new car section.😄 I will stick to two distinctive categories, that is buying a new car vs renewing COE, the comparison will purely base on economy sense, not taking into considerations about new leather smell, flashy look, newer technology of a new car. Buying a new car now will tie one down with a 10 years of high COE, if he sells his car along the way when COE is lower, he will lose extremely high depre of his car. If he scraps it, he will get back paper value, lossing half the ARF or more depending on the emission rebate of his car, huge dealer margin and excise tax etc which will be a huge sum. Not to forget, dealer margin in SGP is based on total sales price, higher COE price will attract higher dealer margin. Conversely, if one will to renew COE assuming his car condition is decent, then he will just have to write off his PARF, no dealer margin, ARF to pay for, so the cost is relatively cheaper. Assuming 3 years down the road when COE drops,, he can scrap his car and get back his remaining unused COE and go buy a new car. If his car is a B& B car like Altis or Elantra, then his financial PARF write off will be limited to that $10k there about over the number of years, which is quite manageable. If one has a higher PARF car, then he may have to do his sum carefully. Next let's look at another alternative, that is buying a used car. If given myself this situation, my thought would be to buy a used car that is about 7 years old, allow me to ride through the high COE period and see how it goes, if COE drops by then, I will just scrap my car and buy a new one, or even renew its COE when PQP is lower. Considering the straining economy outlook now, better be more prudence in spending.

With the influx of cat A EV from every Tom Dick & Harry brand, I am only interested to see when will cat A record will be broken again. That 20,000 extra COEs is nothing but a smoke screen. Community Service brought to you by MCF Good Luck to all vested! 3 useful links for MCFers Real Time COE Bidding Results Check Your COE Bidding Status Latest COE Prices and Trending Highest Record Cat A => $106,000 [Oct 2023] Cat B => $150,001 [Oct 2023] Cat C => $91,101 [Mar 2023] Cat D => $13,189 [Nov 2022] Cat E => $158,004 [Oct 2023] Lowest Record Cat A => $2 [Nov 2008] Cat B => $200 [Jan 2009] Cat C => $1 [Mar 2007] Cat D => $1 [Mar 2003] Cat E => $3,000 [Feb 2009] 24 Months Trend Chart (Mar 2021 - Feb 2023) *chart taken from www.sgcarmart.com Upcoming Bidding Exercise The details of the November 1st open bidding exercise for Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) are as follows: Tender opens: Monday, 4 November 2024, 12 noon Tender closes: Wednesday, 6 November 2024, 4.00 pm Tender results: Wednesday, 6 November 2024 (Available on www.onemotoring.lta.gov.sg) The total quota available for this tender is 2,681 for the following vehicle categories: NON-TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category A : Cars (up to 1,600cc and maximum power up to 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power up to 110kW (147bhp)) => 1,040 Category B : Cars (above 1,600cc or maximum power above 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power above 110kW (147bhp)) => 696 Category D : Motorcycles => 520 TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category C : Goods Vehicles and Buses => 236 Category E : Open Category => 189

Your OBU's processing unit isn't always mounted on the passenger footwell. Depending on the car that you drive, more than one option may be available! Since November 2023, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been gradually replacing in-vehicle units (IUs) with the new on-board units (OBU). The OBU will pave the way for smoother traffic as we transition to the new ERP 2.0 system that is based on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology. The OBU comprises three parts: An antenna, a processing unit, and an optional touchscreen display. For motorcycles, these three parts are integrated in a single unit, while on other vehicles, it's installed as a two- or three-piece unit based on preference. For private passenger cars, the OBU can be installed as either a two- or three-piece unit (the optional component being the touchscreen display) We previously shared our experience with the OBU transition - including our own first experiences with the unit, and prior to that, an overview of the installation process. Earlier this year, we installed the OBU in our facelifted iteration of the third-generation Kia Cerato K3, which was first released in 2016. During the installation, apart from the inclusion of the touchscreen, perhaps the second most significant decision was for the OBU's processing unit (PU) to be mounted at the passenger footwell area. It might interest drivers to know that the passenger footwell isn't the only possible position for the PU. Cars on our roads are built differently - each model bearing unique interior traits that either narrow down or widen up the realm of possibilities for where you might install your PU. When we installed the OBU on one of our cars previously (a third-generation Kia Cerato K3), we opted to have the PU mounted at the front passenger's footwell area Here, we explore the key positions we know of so far - using some of the latest and common makes and models of vehicles in Singapore as examples - and dive into which might be possible for your car. It's important to keep in mind that authorised dealers and technicians are the best parties to consult with in deciding on the installation location in your vehicle. A multitude of factors will be taken into consideration during such discussions, such as aftermarket modifications or customisations done to your car, as well as the design of your cabin, before a suitable location is recommended. Note: For ease of explanation, the examples used in this list are not exhaustive, and largely comprise new cars currently sold by authorised dealers. The actual position of your PU is ultimately subjected to technical feasibility. Position 1: The passenger's footwell Brief descriptor and key benefit: The passenger's footwell is likely the position that most of us will be familiar with, considering that this was the setup depicted in the first images that debuted of the OBU. Installed as such, the PU will be located on the left lower side of the central column, on the front passenger's side. This keeps the driver's own quarters neat and clear. Who is this for - and who is this not for? As you'll note from the list, most of our favourite family cars are appropriate for Position 1. This includes a significant proportion of the recent lineups from bestselling makes such as Toyota, BYD, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, and Nissan today, for instance. Other notable names include the Ora Good Cat, and the Kia Niro Hybrid. Within the same general position, the exact point on which the PU will be affixed will also vary based on technical feasibility, and the shape of the centre console. Pictured here is the PU installed at Position 1 on the Hyundai Avante Hybrid, which differs slightly from the picture above of the one in the Citroen e-C4 X This position requires a suitable surface for the PU to be attached to using adhesives - in other words, surfaces that do not have much of a curvature and are non-greasy or untreated. Models that are not appropriate for this position, however, include the Kia EV6 and EV9, as well as well as recently-introduced BMW and Mercedes-Benz models. One reason for this would be the vehicles' interior finish. For example, the PU cannot be mounted in the passenger footwell of most modern Mercedes-Benzes due to the finishing (e.g. leather or fabric) and curvature of the footwell area. (We'll come back to these examples in just a bit.) Models that can opt for Position 1 Models that cannot opt for Position 1 Recent models from BYD Recent electric models from Citroen Recent models from Honda Recent models from Hyundai Recent models from Mazda Recent models from Nissan Ora Good Cat Recent models from Toyota Recent models from Mercedes-Benz Recent models from BMW Kia EV6, EV9 Position 2: The driver's footwell Brief descriptor and key benefit: A second position available for the PU is within the driver's footwell area. This is effectively the mirror image of Position 1: On the right side of the front central column, near the driver's side. For starters, only cars with interiors that are deemed to have sufficient space so as to not cause discomfort to the driver can allow for Position 2. For safety reasons, the PU in this position will be secured by nuts and bolts (don't worry, nothing can be seen). Given the choice between Positions 1 and 2, the latter is likely to be best for drivers who prefer to have the PU as near to them as possible - and do not wish to reach out to the passenger's side. The PU cannot be installed at Position 2 for the entire BYD lineup currently, including the likes of the BYD Seal and BYD Atto 3 Who is this for - and who is this not for? Singaporean drivers will find that most of their favourite family cars can accommodate this position too. Popular examples suitable for Position 2 include recent models from Mazda, Nissan and Toyota. However, others - such as BYD's entire lineup currently, as well as Citroen and Kia's EVs - cannot have the PU in Position 2 for a few reasons. Installation at Position 2 is also not encouraged for cars that still use a foot brake, such as the current-generation Honda Freed As with Position 1, both the surface panel and curvature of the front central column need to be suitable for installation in Position 2. Naturally, maintaining sufficient space on the driver's side is important, too. But there are other possible explanations, including the presence of knee airbags in certain models. You may also know that some models like the Honda Freed still have a foot brake - which will be obstructed when the PU is installed on the driver's side. Models that can opt for Position 2 Models that cannot opt for Position 2 Recent models from Honda - except the Honda Freed Most models from Hyundai Recent models from Mazda Recent models from Nissan Recent models from Toyota Recent models from Mercedes-Benz and BMW (same reasoning as above) Recent models from BYD, Citroen and Kia Ora Good Cat Honda Freed Hyundai Ioniq 5 Position 3: Under the glovebox Brief descriptor and key benefit: Position 3 sees the PU installed underneath the glovebox - which requires a relatively flat surface for the PU to be attached with adhesive. This allows for the PU to be hidden from sight, and for drivers to retain and enjoy a more minimalist look in their car interiors. Owners of the Polestar 2 will also be able to have their PUs installed beneath the car's glovebox Who is this for - and who is this not for? Position 3 is where many Mercedes-Benz and BMW owners will see the PUs of their OBUs installed. Based on these vehicles' layout and finish, we understand that this may also be the only feasible location for most of them. Models that can opt for Position 3 Models that cannot opt for Position 3 Recent models from Mercedes-Benz Recent models from BMW Recent models from Honda Recent models from Toyota Selected models from Hyundai Polestar 2 Recent models from BYD, Kia, Mazda, Nissan, and Subaru Currently, the only mass market brand that allows for the PU to be installed under the driver's seat is Subaru Position 4: Under the driver's seat Brief descriptor and key benefit: Like Position 3, installation at Position 4 keeps the PU out of sight and offers the similar benefit of keeping the interior relatively clean-looking and minimalist. The catch, however, is that this is only applicable for vehicles that have sufficient clearance under the seat for the unit to be installed. Which brings us to… Who is this for - and who is this not for? …the fact that Position 4 may likely be one of the more out-of-reach position for cars (both literally and figuratively). If you're into a certain sort of rugged vehicle boasting symmetrical all-wheel drive, however, you're in luck. Currently, Sgcarmart only knows of one mass market brand in Singapore that allows for installation under the driver's seat - and that is Subaru. Another position: Floating centre console Beyond these main positions, however, there is yet another area that appears to be on the rise for newer cars. Carmakers that have optimised the front quarters of their cars to create more interior space have one special benefit: An uninterrupted area flowing between the front passenger and driver, which we refer to as a 'floating centre console'. The PU can be installed beneath the floating centre console on modern EVs, including the Volkswagen ID.4 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 (the latter only allows for this installation position) With this space freed up, some dealers are also allowing for customers to choose the centre console area as a point of installation for their PU. The floating centre console is perhaps most commonly associated with electric vehicles (EVs) - but even combustion-powered cars with floating centre consoles can allow for this position. Examples of popular EVs include the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5, and - as mentioned earlier - the Kia EV6 and EV9. A quick recap! As evidenced by the list above, it's really not just the passenger footwell where you can install the PU of your car's new OBU. A good range of alternatives might be possible as well, each bringing with it its own unique benefits. Again, however, it must be reiterated that the position of installation is ultimately dependent on your car model (and the possible modifications you may have made to it), which consequently influences the technical feasibility of each position. As mentioned above, motorists are encouraged to consult their preferred authorised workshops and technicians during their OBU installation appointments. Owners of existing vehicles are also welcome to install their OBUs early, and those who wish to do so can contact their preferred authorised workshop directly to schedule their installation together with their regular servicing appointment. In other words, there is no need to wait for notification, and no more booking via the microsite; drivers need simply contact the workshop directly to schedule the OBU installation. Finally, to maximise their own convenience, motorists are also encouraged to sign up for NETS Auto-Top Up - which handily eliminates the need to remove their CEPAS cards from the PU for manual top ups. All motorists who have installed the OBU can also look forward to receiving a complimentary NETS Motoring Card. Still have burning questions on your mind about what life with ERP 2.0, or life onboard with the OBU might be like? Let us know!

What's the house view on this? Up or down? Will car expo add pressure?

3 useful links for MCFers Real Time COE Bidding Results Check Your COE Bidding Status Latest COE Prices and Trending Highest Record Cat A => $106,000 [Oct 2023] Cat B => $150,001 [Oct 2023] Cat C => $91,101 [Mar 2023] Cat D => $13,189 [Nov 2022] Cat E => $158,004 [Oct 2023] Lowest Record Cat A => $2 [Nov 2008] Cat B => $200 [Jan 2009] Cat C => $1 [Mar 2007] Cat D => $1 [Mar 2003] Cat E => $3,000 [Feb 2009] Upcoming Bidding Exercise The details of the July 1st open bidding exercise for Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) are as follows: Tender opens: Monday, 1 July 2024, 12 noon Tender closes: Wednesday, 3 July 2024, 4.00 pm Tender results: Wednesday, 3 July 2024 (Available on www.onemotoring.lta.gov.sg) The total quota available for this tender is 2,545 for the following vehicle categories: NON-TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category A : Cars (up to 1,600cc and maximum power up to 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power up to 110kW (147bhp)) => 967 Category B : Cars (above 1,600cc or maximum power above 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power above 110kW (147bhp)) => 671 Category D : Motorcycles => 517 TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category C : Goods Vehicles and Buses => 214 Category E : Open Category => 176

Source: https://www.hardwarezone.com.sg/tech-news-byd-tesla-seal-dynamic-100kw-model-3-rear-wheel-drive-110-singapore-price-specs Electric car makers BYD and Tesla have both launched more affordable models that qualify for the slightly less expensive Category A COE in the past couple of weeks. The newer of the two is the Seal Dynamic 100kW from BYD. As its name suggests, it has a power output of 100kW or 134hp. Performance suffers compared to the outgoing Dynamic model, but this new version will still get from 0-100km/h in 10 seconds. Crucially, it still has a 61.44kWh battery. The claimed range on the WLTP Combined cycle is 460km. Inside, the new Seal Dynamic 100kW loses none of the features that make the Seal such a tantalising option in its class. You have a large 15.6-inch infotainment system, ventilated seats, an expansive panoramic sunroof, and a comprehensive suite of safety features. From Tesla, we have the Rear-Wheel Drive 110 variant of the Model 3. The number “110” refers to its power output, 110kW or 148hp – the maximum permissible to qualify for a Category A COE. It may be the least powerful version of the Model 3, but it’ll still get from a standstill to 100km/h in a sprightly 8.6 seconds. The claimed WLTP range is 513km. The Rear-Wheel Drive 110 variant loses none of the features that make the Model 3 great, and that means it has a large 15.4-inch infotainment display, Tesla Arcade, Sentry Mode, and more. Having a car that qualifies for a Category A COE is an important strategy for carmakers here in Singapore. Although the prices of Category A COEs remain high, car buyers (particularly first-time buyers) will appreciate every little bit of savings that they can get. In the case of these two cars here, and based on current COE premiums, the savings (when compared to the Cat B model) can range anywhere from S$10,000 to as much as S$25,000. To learn more about these cars, be sure to check out our earlier review of the BYD Seal Performance and our test drive of the new updated Model 3. Availability and pricing The BYD Seal Dynamic 100kW and Tesla Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive 110 are both available to order now. Prices of the BYD Seal Dynamic 100kW start at S$170,888, while prices of the Tesla Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive 110 start at around S$189,000. Prices are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change because of ever-changing COE premiums.

This is the new way forward? Seems like helplessness setting in. Quitting 5Cs? Netizens suggest many Singaporeans are content to 'just get by' - TODAY (todayonline.com) https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/trending-5cs-dream-quit-just-get-2003191 that said, we would lose all competitiveness and the path is then to import. I see more and more languishing in their demeanour with no more gumption to forge ahead. Good or bad?

POV: me patiently waiting for Dec's COE thread 😆 i got vested interest lol

1st bidding for June 2024 starts today. I am expecting for my AD to bid this time round.

Hi all i bought a 2nd hand performance car several years from a owner who erroneously extended COE for 5 years. My intention originally was to just drive the car at this really cheap price till COE expiry and maybe export it. But i have grown to love that V8 NA and its running gr8 so can i get advice on the 2 options below pls : 1) How do i appeal to LTA to allow a one time extension of the 5year COE. Fyi they already reject me 2 times. Is there some other avanue to appeal to? 2) How to export the car to a buyer in Malaysia or UK. I have 2 buyers interested in this car. Thanks bros for your guidance.

Manage to find some time to update the table / chart. Hopefully some of you will find the data useful and my effort not wasted. Community Service brought to you by MCF Good Luck to all vested! 3 useful links for MCFers Real Time COE Bidding Results (LTA) Check Your COE Bidding Status (LTA) Latest COE Prices and Trending (SGcarmart) Highest Record Cat A => $106,000 [Oct 2023] Cat B => $150,001 [Oct 2023] Cat C => $91,101 [Mar 2023] Cat D => $13,189 [Nov 2022] Cat E => $158,004 [Oct 2023] Lowest Record Cat A => $2 [Nov 2008] Cat B => $200 [Jan 2009] Cat C => $1 [Mar 2007] Cat D => $1 [Mar 2003] Cat E => $3,000 [Feb 2009] Past Bidding Results (2001 - 2021) Past Bidding Results (2022 - 2024) 24 Months Trend Chart (Mar 2021 - Feb 2023) *chart taken from www.sgcarmart.com PQP (2010 - 2021) PQP (2022 - 2024) The details of the May 1st open bidding exercise for Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) are as follows: Tender opens: Monday, 6 May 2024, 12 noon Tender closes: Wednesday, 8 May 2024, 4.00 pm Tender results: Wednesday, 8 May 2024 (Available on the www.onemotoring.lta.gov.sg) The total quota available for this tender is 2,418 for the following vehicle categories: NON-TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category A : Cars (up to 1,600cc and maximum power up to 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power up to 110kW (147bhp)) => 963 Category B : Cars (above 1,600cc or maximum power above 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power above 110kW (147bhp)) => 657 Category D : Motorcycles => 518 TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category C : Goods Vehicles and Buses => 205 Category E : Open Category => 175

What’s your thought on the 2024 COE trend? I read one article about many new cars were registered in Jun 2014 till end of 2015. Something like that. Hence the supply of these COE should flow back and make available from mid 2024 onwards. Hopefully the COE prices can further drop like $30 to $40K by end of 2024🙏

Good Luck 3 useful links for MCFers Real Time COE Bidding Results Check Your COE Bidding Status Latest COE Prices and Trending Highest Record Cat A => $106,000 [Oct 2023] Cat B => $150,001 [Oct 2023] Cat C => $91,101 [Mar 2023] Cat D => $13,189 [Nov 2022] Cat E => $158,004 [Oct 2023] Lowest Record Cat A => $2 [Nov 2008] Cat B => $200 [Jan 2009] Cat C => $1 [Mar 2007] Cat D => $1 [Mar 2003] Cat E => $3,000 [Feb 2009] Upcoming Bidding Exercise The details of the March 1st open bidding exercise for Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) are as follows: Tender opens: Monday, 4 March 2024, 12 noon Tender closes: Wednesday, 6 March 2024, 4.00 pm Tender results: Wednesday, 6 March 2024 (Available on www.onemotoring.lta.gov.sg) The total quota available for this tender is 2,550 for the following vehicle categories: NON-TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category A : Cars (up to 1,600cc and maximum power up to 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power up to 110kW (147bhp)) => 963 Category B : Cars (above 1,600cc or maximum power above 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power above 110kW (147bhp)) => 708 Category D : Motorcycles => 520 TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category C : Goods Vehicles and Buses => 200 Category E : Open Category => 159

Singapore ‘open to’ idea of one-off rise in vehicle population, with higher usage-based charges: Chee SINGAPORE is open to reviewing the idea of a one-off increase in its vehicle population, spread over a few years and accompanied by higher vehicle-usage charges to prevent congestion, said Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat on Tuesday (Mar 5). But the trade-offs “are not straightforward, and need to be studied carefully before a decision is made”, he added during the debate in Parliament on his ministry’s budget. Member of Parliament Saktiandi Supaat had asked if distance-based charging could allow Singapore to increase the total vehicle population while still achieving its car-lite vision. Chee said his ministry was “open to reviewing the idea” of a one-off increase with higher charges. These usage-based charges could include location and time-based fees – as with the existing Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system – or distance-based charging, where road users pay depending on how far they travel. “However, it is not feasible to (rely only) on usage-based charges to prevent traffic congestion, as these would have to be set at very high rates, which might not be acceptable to many car owners,” he said. Singapore would still need other ownership controls and measures such as parking charges, he added. He also noted that taxi, private-hire car and delivery drivers would face higher usage-based fees as they travel longer distances. “We will need to examine the impact on these groups, though usage-based charging is, in principle, a fair approach,” he said. The Land Transport Authority began the roll-out of the new ERP 2.0 system’s On-Board units last November. These units are equipped with satellite-based technology that can support distance-based charging, though the statutory board said at the time that there were “no immediate plans” to transition away from the current system. https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/transport-logistics/singapore-open-to-idea-of-one-off-rise-in-vehicle-population-with-higher-usage-based-charges-chee hmmm ...

Hey guys, been a long time since I've been active here, but you know what? I've been brewing a car taxation plan in the back of my mind for months, just never sat down to write it out. We all know the legendary COE and many of us by now have already said it needs a do-over, even the polimakers are starting to say something about giving it a do-over. But always without reconsidering what classifying cars should be. Since I'm never gonna get into the "job" of public service, here's my comprehensive... uh... suggestion? You wanna tl;dr? Fine, I'll leave one at the end. Total COE Restructure Let's start with the headliner, which is always our iconic certificates (we know our car don't last forever, because of COE). Since its inception, the COE has, for consumers, been fundamentally separated into categories A and B, which for now I will focus on. As a reminder; Category A represents passenger vehicles up to 1,600cc or 130hp (97kW), and Category B is just... anything over that, making the assumption that B category vehicles are inherently larger or more luxurious vehicles. Now, the main proclaimed goal of COE is managing the vehicle population, and ostensibly managing road congestion by limiting the volume of cars. With that stated intent in mind, who agrees that a car's power output and displacement has any real bearing on its ability to create congestion? Would ten buses cause more congestion than ten Golf Rs in the same stretch of road? Would ten Cat B Golf Rs cause more congestion than ten Cat A Golf (....what's it called now? 90TSI? Scrap that too) Ten buses would definitely block more road than ten Golfs, EA888 or not, but of course the counterpoint is that ten buses holds many times more people than ten Golfs, or even the equivalent number of Golfs in terms of length. Redefining the Categories... on Size. So my suggestion is, actually, quite simple - let's redefine COE categories based on the physical size of vehicles. This is easily accessible information, I cannot think of any car that you cannot get dimension information for, and if you really can't, there's nothing stopping the homologation department from breaking out a tape measure. I don't think I want to arbitrarily define numbers I think are suitable for separating Category A and B at the moment, but... If we consider trends, I'd say a comfortable position for Category A is 4,700mm long and below, as most "compact" sedans today remain in the ~4,650mm long range, and plenty of small hatchbacks are well low that. (Isn't it ridiculous that a 2020 G20 3-series now is longer than the 1994 Mazda Capella/626?) Anyway, keeping things simple would be using length, because that is usually what really determines how much space a car needs on a road. I consider 4.65m a median of sorts, 4.7~5m the range locals traditionally consider a large family car, and that anything over 5m, nobody is going to call that small. Cars under 4.4m are typically the 'small' ones today, you'd be hard pressed to still find something under 4m. Again, keeping it simple, if we were to retain a binary classification, Category A could be below 4.7m and Category B anything longer than that. Alternatively, we can expand it a little to include overall footprint, by taking length x width of the car, but given that lanes are lanes and people aren't supposed to be driving across two lanes, it occurred to me while writing this that that's really a little unnecessary, plus it makes it a tad harder to account for capacities. Long story short though, is let's just redefine COE categories based on size/length of a car, not its engine power/displacement, which no longer has any real direct bearing on its state of luxury, economy, efficiency, or, most importantly, physical size. COE Incentive for Family Vehicles With Singapore's infamously small land area, there's a consistent push for car sharing, reducing the number of individual vehicles, increasing the person per vehicle, and so on, but there's also a consistent and very unhappy demographic of families that for practical purposes need a vehicle on demand for themselves to manage their children. Yes, you can bring your kids on a bus, but with a stroller and all the like, managing a potentially rambunctious or easily upset child whilst carrying a baby or other nightmare scenarios, you can imagine all of that, and there are plenty of little articles about why families scrounge everything they can to afford a car even with the wide availability of ride hailing and our celebrated public transport. (Simply don't Go aside) By their nature, a sportscar, two seaters especially, have less capacity for transporting and are traditionally the domain of luxury, and rarely sit in the lower price classes. But at the same time, a tiny convertible like a Daihatsu Copen may be really just a recreational vehicle for two, but it takes up virtually no road at all compared to a Toyota Fortuner. With this in mind, I'd propose that any vehicle with less than five seats incur a COE multiplier - it should cost more to own a vehicle of this type, but it should still be in accordance with its size. As such, a 7-seater, which has the capacity to hold more people, and is often a choice made to accommodate a growing family, should be incentivized - it should have a COE reduction. Of course, it's always going to be true that cars spend a lot of time with less than their entire capacity filled, but there's really not a whole lot we can do to mitigate that. But the fact is that placing a Polo GTI in the same taxation category as a Nissan X-Trail, or a bus-lane demanding Aventador, is antithetical to the system's intent. Many of the times a family that really could do with a vehicle are the ones who are suffering the most from sky high COEs, whereas we know by now those who can afford their fifth Porsche don't really care too much about an extra $20k. Short version: COE classification based on size of the car COE Penalty for impractical sports vehicles with less usable seats COE benefit for practical family vehicles with more usable seats But hold on, why again do we need to fuss so much? The COE system has been unfairly cruel to the folks who can arguably need vehicles the most, and at real worst an annoyance to rental/fleet companies and affluent individuals with the means to own multiple cars. There needs to be a real restructuring to allow more cars to be used by these young families who struggle in many ways because they see cars as a necessity even with all their 'alternatives', while taking more from those who are ordering their third Cayman. Size is the thing that implicates congestion potential the most, and instead encouraging a population of many small cars, two Jazzes can hold five people (even if in relative discomfort) each compared to four in a standard S-class, while taking up only marginally more effective space on the road. A Prius makes barely over 130hp and gets shoved into Cat B, but who's gonna say a Prius is appreciably more luxury than a Corolla Altis? Power and displacement has long been detached from a car's class, but physically larger cars often really do be more inefficient and luxurious - compare, say, again, an Audi A1 to an Audi A6. You can have both with the 1.4TFSI engine, but the A4 is noticeably better built on the inside. Even accounting for the tune increase, the Cat B A4 1.4 is much less efficient because it weighs more. Then you have the obviously ridiculous Mercedes Benz MFA180 spec, (A180, B180, CLA180, etc.), which previously came with the M270 "RED" engine, RED standing for reduced - that brought the 1.6L engine from MFA200 specs of around 155hp to the Category A 130hp to allow the premium brand to sell Category A vehicles here. The thing that's widely ignored is that the Cat A "RED" engine is not only less powerful, but less efficient, both in the claimed numbers and in real use. A more recent example is the 2023 Honda Civic Turbo's local exclusive Cat A 129hp tune, a substantial reduction from the engine's normal 180hp variant, without being appreciably more efficient, and even before that KM is one of just 8 territories where the ancient 1.6L engine was recycled one more time for the 2017 Civic tenth gen. Many hybrids produce over 130hp but are more efficient, but automatically get discouraged by Cat B. I'll reiterate this point, but to summarise this section; The current COE structure is outdated, nonsensical even at its inception and does not keep cars affordable for lower income families who need them to better manage their children in their busy lives, an increasingly vocal demographic that we weigh all our hopes on. Managing one kid and one stroller on Bus MRT Walk is tough enough, but our population won't grow when it's so hard to care for your children. Plus, the absurd choice of metrics of power output and displacement to classify vehicles discourages innovation in powerplants that we seriously need for reducing the gasoline footprint, resulting in a larger population of cars with outdated engines. The World's Most Expensive Cars... with the lowest specifications We already know we have the most expensive cars in the world, but have you noticed we have the lowest specced cars in the world too? Why? ARF. The ARF taxation is why you pay for your car's value, at minimum, twice over - a car's ARF, before "incentives", is 100% of a vehicle's OMV, and gets worse from there. As such, higher spec vehicles incurring higher OMV incur higher ARF. This of course makes sense from the standpoint of taxing luxury, but it also means that dealers, with their immense margins, are not willing to bring in vehicles that are well equipped. Consider Citroën under C&C, which has for whatever reason decided that the storied French nameplate should be a lower cost brand. Their latest lineups have been exclusively brought in with pretty barebone specifications, lacking even electric seat options. "Premium" Automobiles has been perhaps the most depressing offender to me personally, with their hypocritical name - their cars routinely lack any manner of technology that befits Audi's slogan, just a few of the most obviously visible ones for "wow" factor - Virtual Cockpit for example was hyped early on. Due to the expensive taxation via ARF, batch homologation and lack of flexibility in bringing in cars of individually customized equipment levels, the dealers are largely discouraged from importing vehicles with full equipment lists - as someone who personally wants a car with all the trimmings, this has been a long running frustration of mine. Audi's presense active safety/assistance suite is available on...... I don't know, which? Only the A8? The Q8 doesn't even have the sunglasses compartment and lined interior visors, for crying out loud. You can get all of those on... a Skoda Octavia. For far less. Why do I care so much about these features? Because many of these are safety technologies that are being exorcised from premium cars, safety technologies I was one of the earliest to adopt. I've a 2015 model year vehicle featuring adaptive cruise, blind spot warnings and lane keeping assist, four years before these features have reached Singapore's mainstream. And you still struggle to get these as standard on an Audi, a BMW, or a Mercedes. Even though they're widely available from mainstream brands now (Peugeot, Toyota SafetySense, Honda Sensing, Subaru Eyesight, Mazda has it too, so on), the premium marques don't offer adaptive cruise or their full safety suites, at best a cut down variant. PML BMWs have begun to have Driving Assistant across all cars, but this is limited to camera based front active city braking, blind spot warning and lane keeping, you are still denied RADAR based active cruise. And the PA imported Audi S3 in 2019 did not come with a reverse camera. I want an upgrade, not a downgrade. There needs to be more emphasis on safety technologies and not "wow" technologies, and dealers need to start offering smaller vehicles with premium equipment lists. What's a solution? Obviously this problem also lies with dealers and consumer mindsets, the desires always to cut corners on our already expensive cars, and I think it's fine that we should have to pay more for options like Virtual Cockpit, or Alcantara trim. But I think we need to stop compromising on safety technology. This is to me, non-negotiable at this point. In other countries across the world, many marques have begun offering these features as standard. Hold on, you might say, why does it matter so much? I don't need this stuff, I drive fine. So in the eight years I've been driving my beloved Mondeo, I've used Adaptive Cruise nearly every journey... But I've had the emergency brake intervention trigger only twice. I was sleepy. You will never be driving in 100% perfect condition every day of your life. We already say we've got some of the worst drivers, the most kiasu, the most impolite, and my Mondeo isn't shy about warning me that I'm less than two seconds of following distance to the car in front (I have sensitivity on high for pedestrian detection), but what's to say we can't reduce the number of accidents with these features? Side anecdote, I'm still baffled by how seven cars can have a chain collision in the middle of the highway, an empty highway during Circuit Breaker, in broad, clear daylight. What kind of absurd scenario causes that? Yes, it'll make the cars more expensive, as these aren't without a cost, but can you imagine how much less we'd lose in time and money if we had virtually zero accidents across our roads? Less congestion, less time wasted, less fuel burnt in traffic jams, no need to waste TP resources dispatching to manage the scene, less money spent on EMAS recovery. Less money lost on people idling in a jam. So I propose that there be a discount incentive for safety technology equipment on cars. Say, a $500 incentive for forward collision detection. $500 off for Blind Spot warning. $250 off for adaptive headlights. $250 off for seatbelt airbags (my Mondeo didn't come with them, sadly) Something like that. I also think, really, we should consider making it possible to fine someone extra if they were involved in an accident while driving with that feature disabled (if equipped, obviously), or at least if I were an insurance officer I would probably increase the person's excess for that incident. The legislation has long been discouraging advanced technologies and our cars have been routinely some of the worst equipped in the world, while the COE system somehow results in some of the most inefficient powerplants reaching us. You might have noticed I didn't specify a discount on ARF, which has long been the typical means of providing incentives, notably through the EV early adopters incentive and the CEVS rebate. That's because anyone who knows ARF knows that ARF is what determines your PARF rebate, more commonly known as scrap value. The PARF rebate depreciates linearly from 100% ARF to 50% over the ten years of the car's original COE, which means that every $1,000 discount on ARF is really a $500 loss to your PARF rebate. Which is why cars, particularly EVs, that have high CEVS rebates, have spectacularly poor depreciation rates. (See, for example, SGCM's BMW iX3 vs X3 faceoff) Incentives need to be serious, and to be really serious about being an incentive they need to not take from the consumer's back pocket. I also suggest we start incentivizing real hybrids, and plug-in hybrids. In a meaningful way. Tons of dealers have started offering mild hybrids, which just include a small booster battery that helps start from a standstill. These do not confer any real efficiency benefit overall. Plug-in Hybrids are expensive now, but deserve to have more penetration. I asked many a dealer, why are you not offering PHEVs? The answer? Nobody wants them. My response; nobody I've asked knows they exist. Dear dealers, you make the markets, not the consumers, in Singapore. Do us better. I suddenly got really sleepy at this point, so I'll maybe elaborate in another post. All the essential info's above. But what else do I think I want to throw in? The diesel duty raise. That was dumb - commercial vehicles are the most frequent user of diesel, and increasing their cost to run has undoubtedly lead to delivery and freight costs rising and reaching the consumer. Rental companies propping up COEs with their indifference to high COE prices? Supposedly doesn't happen, but I doubt that. Almost definitely has to be happening, and then those cheap grade low spec cars get dumped on the preowned market exacerbating the problems I described. Not to mention that expensive COEs lead to more use of rental vehicles, which the rental companies can price up to recover their costs...? Makes for a self-sustaining cycle. Anyway, as promised, tl;dr; COE current system of displacement/power is dumb (and was dumb in 1990), change classification system to be based on length. Discount COE for more than 5 seats, penalty for less than 5 seats Revise ARF/add incentives for safety technology to encourage safer cars Revise incentives to encourage more efficient gasoline cars, not just EVs, because EVs are still not ready

It's about time innit? https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/singapore/government-consider-separate-coe-category-private-hire-cars-chee-hong-tat

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/records-set-in-three-coe-categories-open-category-coe-soars-to-158004 SINGAPORE – Certificate of entitlement (COE) premiums reached new highs for the two car categories and the Open category at the latest tender exercise on Wednesday. The COE premium for larger cars with engines above 1,600cc or 130bhp and electric vehicles (EVs) above 110kW ended at $150,001, a 2.74 per cent increase over the $146,002 posted in the previous tender. The premium for the Open category – which can be used for any vehicle type except motorcycles, but ends up being used mostly for bigger cars – ended at $158,004, up 3.95 per cent over the $152,000 record set two weeks ago. This is the sixth consecutive time that records were broken for both the large car and Open COE categories. The COE premium for smaller cars and EVs climbed 1.92 per cent to $106,000, from $104,000 set two weeks ago. The previous record of $105,000 was set just two tender exercises ago, in September. Some motor traders said the demand for smaller car COEs was partly fuelled by The Car Expo event held last weekend. Organised by SPH Media, which publishes The Straits Times, the event had a stronger focus on smaller and less powerful car models than other types of new cars. By the end of the tender exercise on Wednesday, there were 1,028 bids for such COEs. This is only the second time since October 2021 that the number of bids for a COE category broke into four digits.

Just in time before I fly. Good luck and bye... 3 useful links for MCFers Real Time COE Bidding Results Check Your COE Bidding Status Latest COE Prices and Trending Highest Record Cat A => $106,000 [Oct 2023] Cat B => $150,001 [Oct 2023] Cat C => $91,101 [Mar 2023] Cat D => $13,189 [Nov 2022] Cat E => $158,004 [Oct 2023] Lowest Record Cat A => $2 [Nov 2008] Cat B => $200 [Jan 2009] Cat C => $1 [Mar 2007] Cat D => $1 [Mar 2003] Cat E => $3,000 [Feb 2009] Upcoming Bidding Exercise The details of the November 1st open bidding exercise for Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) are as follows: Tender opens: Monday, 6 November 2023, 12 noon Tender closes: Wednesday, 8 November 2023, 4.00 pm Tender results: Wednesday, 8 November 2023 (Available on www.onemotoring.lta.gov.sg) The total quota available for this tender is 2,411 for the following vehicle categories: NON-TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category A : Cars (up to 1,600cc and maximum power up to 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power up to 110kW (147bhp)) => 924 Category B : Cars (above 1,600cc or maximum power above 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power above 110kW (147bhp)) => 636 Category D : Motorcycles => 520 TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category C : Goods Vehicles and Buses => 190 Category E : Open Category => 141

Comparing the highest and lowest record, really no eye see... Wanted to add in the usual "Good Luck to All Vested", but am wondering if any MCFer is still buying new car at the current climate (except @RadX who spend real $$$ like hell notes ) 3 useful links for MCFers Real Time COE Bidding Results Check Your COE Bidding Status Latest COE Prices and Trending Highest Record Cat A => $105,000 [Sep 2023] Cat B => $140,889 [Sep 2023] Cat C => $91,101 [Mar 2023] Cat D => $13,189 [Nov 2022] Cat E => $144,640 [Sep 2023] Lowest Record Cat A => $2 [Nov 2008] Cat B => $200 [Jan 2009] Cat C => $1 [Mar 2007] Cat D => $1 [Mar 2003] Cat E => $3,000 [Feb 2009] Upcoming Bidding Exercise The details of the October 1st open bidding exercise for Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) are as follows: Tender opens: Monday, 2 October 2023, 12 noon Tender closes: Wednesday, 4 October 2023, 4.00 pm Tender results: Wednesday, 4 October 2023 (Available on www.onemotoring.lta.gov.sg) The total quota available for this tender is 2,010 for the following vehicle categories: NON-TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category A : Cars (up to 1,600cc and maximum power up to 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power up to 110kW (147bhp)) => 785 Category B : Cars (above 1,600cc or maximum power above 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power above 110kW (147bhp)) => 474 Category D : Motorcycles => 497 TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category C : Goods Vehicles and Buses => 114 Category E : Open Category => 140

IF COE is at 130,000.... Still got ppl wanna renew meh?

3 useful links for MCFers Real Time COE Bidding Results Check Your COE Bidding Status Latest COE Prices and Trending Highest Record Cat A => $103,721 [Apr 2023] Cat B => $129,890 [Aug 2023] Cat C => $91,101 [Mar 2023] Cat D => $13,189 [Nov 2022] Cat E => $131,000 [Aug 2023] Upcoming Bidding Exercise The details of the September 1st open bidding exercise for Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) are as follows: Tender opens: Monday, 4 September 2023, 12 noon Tender closes: Wednesday, 6 September 2023, 4.00 pm Tender results: Wednesday, 6 September 2023 (Available on www.onemotoring.lta.gov.sg) The total quota available for this tender is 1,933 for the following vehicle categories: NON-TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category A : Cars (up to 1,600cc and maximum power up to 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power up to 110kW (147bhp)) => 645 Category B : Cars (above 1,600cc or maximum power above 97kW (130bhp); and fully electric car with maximum power above 110kW (147bhp)) => 470 Category D : Motorcycles => 573 TRANSFERABLE CATEGORIES Category C : Goods Vehicles and Buses => 115 Category E : Open Category => 130

https://omny.fm/shows/coe-watch/why-6-digit-coe-prices-are-new-normal-ex-industr Description Hear how the final hour of bidding for COEs can typically go, from a ex-motor trade insider. Synopsis: The Straits Times offers expert insights to Singapore's mobility trends and the vehicle quota system, which includes the Certificate of Entitlement (COE). There are two tender exercises for these COEs every month. It typically opens for three days, from noon on a Monday and to 4pm on Wednesday. But the bidding action only comes alive in the final hour or so, as more bids start to appear and the premiums climb. To help us understand what goes on behind the scenes in that last 60 minutes, ST’s senior transport correspondent Lee Nian Tjoe speaks with Mr Say Kwee Neng, who has been in the motor trade for more than 20 years.