Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have been
heralded by some as key to reducing
carbon emissions from the transport sector.
Yet, there has been little critical research
into their sustainability from a transport
planning perspective. This study critically
analyses the sustainability of BEVs in
Singapore by examining the changing
political framing of BEVs and how BEVs
affect attitudes towards transport among
Generation Y.The government’s pragmatic
ideology led to BEVs being initially framed
as an ‘unnecessary’ and expensive risk
without clear national benefits. The
subsequent policy reversal to embrace
BEVs was due to falling costs, image issues,
and a green growth opportunity.
Encouraging BEV adoption was arguably
never just about responding to the climate
emergency.Among Generation Y, car
ownership was associated with strong
symbolic motivations. BEVs will likely
strengthen them given BEVs are seen to
signal progressiveness, innovativeness and
prestige. Consequently, the promotion of
BEVs involves a fine balancing act to avoid
accentuating the car’s symbolism. BEVs
were seen to connote eco-friendliness, but
many doubted environmental reasons were a significant motivator driving BEV
adoption. BEVs were found to strongly
symbolise that one is in the privileged 5% of
people staying in single-unit landed
properties, where accessibility of charging
points is not an issue. This is a concerning
inequity that needs to be addressed given
the government’s target to cease the
registrations of new ICE vehicles by 2040.
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