Tesla Singapore now has a service centre in Toa Payoh.
Just after our last rant about Tesla possibly skipping Malaysia for its first ASEAN factory, we heard news that the company would be setting up its first service centre in Singapore. Obviously, without a proper charging network, without an understandable national automotive policy, with subsidised petrol, and with no clear EV incentives in place, Tesla is not going to be coming in to Malaysia in any official capacity any time soon.
But for Singaporeans, the time for electric vehicles is just on the horizon. Back in February 2021, the American electric car maker relaunched in Singapore with the opening of its online sales portal. At the time, there still was no physical presence of the brand there.
This week, it has been confirmed that a former dealership lot run by Tan Chong Motor for Nissan will now be operated by Tesla. The three-storey lot is located at 17 Lorong 8 Toa Payoh, and will most likely be converted to a Tesla service centre. That’s based on the company’s propensity to run “experience centres”, where cars sold, in malls and other more commercial locations. This hasn’t actually been confirmed by Tesla, though.
The location where Tesla has decided to set up in Singapore is slated to open its doors next month. It was listed for sale at the end of 2019 for S$13.5 million. It’s not confirmed in Tesla bought this site over or if it just leasing it.
The company will be run by Country Manager Christopher Bousigues, who does not have a background in the automotive industry. He has experience in Microsoft and SAP.
The Singapore Tesla website currently allows for custom orders of the Tesla Model 3 only. Estimated delivery of these models is stated as 2nd half of 2021 on the website. The rear-wheel drive Standard Range Plus and all-wheel drive Performance models are both available to order. 18″ wheels are standard, but the Model 3 can be configured with up to 20″ wheels. 5 colour choices are available, with only the white model being standard – the rest are cost options. The black interior is standard, with an optional Black-and-White interior for US$1,500.
With all the features included, the Tesla Model 3 is priced at US$192,348 excluding COE. The basic model is listed at US$112,845 excluding COE.
