Statute Details
- Title: Electric Vehicles Charging (Specified Autonomous Motor Vehicles — Exemption) Order 2024
- Act Code: EVCA2022-S755-2024
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Electric Vehicles Charging Act 2022 (power under section 92)
- Citation: No. S 755
- Commencement: 1 October 2024
- Status / Version: Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Key Definitions (Section 2): “specified AMV”, “specified premises”, “specified person”, and related terms drawn from the AV Rules
- Core Exemption Provisions: Sections 3–11 (supply, alteration, certification, installation, inspection/records, improper use/charging, and regulated-activity duties)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Electric Vehicles Charging (Specified Autonomous Motor Vehicles — Exemption) Order 2024 (“the Order”) creates a targeted regulatory carve-out within Singapore’s Electric Vehicles Charging framework. In essence, it allows a “specified person” who is authorised to conduct an approved special use or an approved trial involving autonomous motor vehicles (“specified AMVs”) to use electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure without being subject to certain charging-related legal requirements that would otherwise apply under the Electric Vehicles Charging Act 2022 (“the Act”).
The Order is not a general deregulation of EV charging. It is narrowly scoped to charging equipment that is used to support autonomous motor vehicle operations under an authorisation regime. The exemptions are conditional: the EV charger must be compatible with the specified AMV’s electric vehicle inlet, must be used solely for the specified AMV by the specified person or the specified person’s “authorised personnel”, and (for fixed chargers) must be installed within “specified premises”.
Practically, the Order supports experimentation and operational deployment of autonomous mobility services by reducing compliance friction—particularly around supply, modification, certification, installation, and inspection/record-keeping—while still embedding safeguards through compatibility requirements and restrictions on who may use the charger.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Definitions and the scope of who/what is covered (Section 2)
Section 2 sets the architecture for the exemptions. It imports key concepts from the Road Traffic (Autonomous Motor Vehicles) Rules 2017 (“AV Rules”), including meanings for “approved special use”, “approved trial”, and “specified person”. It also defines “autonomous motor vehicle” by reference to the Road Traffic Act 1961.
The Order’s operative scope turns on three defined concepts:
- “specified AMV”: an autonomous motor vehicle used (or to be used) by the specified person to carry out the approved special use or undertake the approved trial during the period of the specified person’s authorisation.
- “specified premises”: (a) premises owned or occupied by the specified person; (b) parking places within a development where the specified person owns or occupies part of the development; and (c) the geographical area stated in the conditions of the specified person’s authorisation where the approved special use may be carried out or the approved trial undertaken.
- “authorised personnel”: employees/officers/agents of the specified person who are authorised to act on behalf of the specified person and who are also participants in the approved special use or approved trial.
Section 2(2) clarifies that a reference to a “vehicle connector” of an EV charger includes a connector fitted with an adaptor approved by the EV charger manufacturer—an important practical detail for compatibility and technical integration.
2. Exemption for supplying EV chargers (Section 3)
Section 3 provides that section 6 of the Act does not apply to a person (“A”) who supplies in Singapore an EV charger to the specified person (“P”), whether the charger is supplied from within or outside Singapore. The exemption is conditional on two requirements:
- Written undertaking: A must obtain, before supply, a written undertaking from P that the EV charger is solely for use by P or P’s authorised personnel to charge any specified AMV.
- Compatibility: the vehicle connector of the EV charger must be compatible with the electric vehicle inlet of the specified AMV.
This provision is significant for procurement and vendor contracting. It effectively allows suppliers to deliver chargers for autonomous trials/special use without triggering the Act’s section 6 constraints, provided the supplier documents the “sole use” undertaking and ensures technical compatibility.
3. Exemption for alteration/modification of EV chargers (Section 4)
Section 4 exempts the specified person and authorised personnel from section 11 of the Act when they alter or modify (or allow alteration/modification) of an EV charger. The exemption applies only if:
- the EV charger is solely for use by P or authorised personnel to charge specified AMVs;
- the altered/modified charger’s vehicle connector remains compatible with the specified AMV’s inlet; and
- for a fixed EV charger, it is installed within the specified premises.
Section 4(2) extends the exemption to a third party (“A”) engaged by P to alter or modify the EV charger. In that case, A must obtain a written undertaking from P before the alteration/modification, and the same compatibility and fixed-charger location conditions apply.
For practitioners, this is a key operational clause: it recognises that autonomous vehicle charging setups may require technical integration (e.g., connector configuration, adaptor use, or other modifications), but it keeps the legal risk contained within the authorised trial/special use ecosystem.
4. Exemption for certification of EV chargers (Section 5)
Section 5 is one of the most compliance-relevant provisions. It exempts P and authorised personnel from section 23(1), (4) and (6) of the Act when they certify an EV charger as fit for charging any electric vehicle in Singapore—provided the charger is for specified AMVs and meets the same compatibility and “sole use” conditions. Additionally, P must put in place measures to ensure the EV charger can only be used by P or authorised personnel.
Section 5(2) similarly exempts P from section 23(2) where P causes an individual to certify an EV charger. Section 5(3) extends this to a third party engaged by P, again requiring a written undertaking from P before certification and the same compatibility, premises, and restricted-use measures.
Finally, Section 5(4) provides an exemption for an individual engaged by P or A to certify the charger, provided the individual obtains a written undertaking from P or A (as applicable) and the same conditions are satisfied.
In practical terms, the certification exemption reduces the administrative burden for chargers used exclusively for autonomous trials/special use. However, the Order does not remove the need for safeguards; it requires P to implement measures ensuring restricted access, which is likely to be critical in any enforcement or audit scenario.
5. Exemption for installation of fixed EV chargers (Section 6)
Section 6 exempts P and authorised personnel from section 24(1) of the Act for installing, or causing installation of, a fixed EV charger anywhere in Singapore, provided:
- the charger is solely for use by P or authorised personnel to charge specified AMVs;
- the vehicle connector is compatible with the specified AMV inlet;
- the charger is installed within specified premises; and
- (based on the truncated extract) additional conditions apply—likely continuing the “sole use” and control framework.
Even though the provided text is truncated after “P h”, the structure of the Order indicates that Section 6 continues the same compliance logic: compatibility, restricted use, and location within specified premises for fixed chargers.
6. Exemptions from inspection/records and improper use/charging offences (Sections 7–9)
The enacting formula lists further exemptions:
- Section 7: exemption from periodic inspection and keeping of records of EV chargers for charging specified AMVs.
- Section 8: exemption from the offence of improper use of an EV charger for charging specified AMVs.
- Section 9: exemption from the offence of improper charging using an EV charger for charging specified AMVs.
These provisions matter because they address both regulatory oversight (inspection and records) and criminal/penal risk (improper use/charging offences). For autonomous operations, “improper use” allegations could arise from atypical charging workflows, experimental procedures, or integration testing. The exemptions reduce that risk when charging is within the authorised and restricted framework for specified AMVs.
7. Exemption for undertaking regulated activity and duties of prescribed persons (Sections 10–11)
Section 10 provides an exemption for undertaking a “regulated activity” using an EV charger for charging specified AMVs. Section 11 provides an exemption from duties of a “prescribed person” for installation of fixed EV chargers for charging specified AMVs.
These clauses indicate that the Order not only affects the specified person and their authorised personnel, but also reallocates or removes certain statutory responsibilities that would otherwise fall on other categories of persons involved in installation and regulated EV charging activities.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured as a short, numbered instrument with:
- Section 1: citation and commencement (1 October 2024).
- Section 2: definitions, including cross-references to the AV Rules and other statutes.
- Sections 3–6: exemptions covering the lifecycle of EV charging infrastructure: supply, alteration/modification, certification, and installation (especially fixed chargers).
- Sections 7–9: exemptions relating to ongoing compliance and offences: periodic inspection/records and improper use/charging offences.
- Sections 10–11: exemptions affecting regulated activities and prescribed persons’ duties.
Overall, the structure is “process-based”: it tracks how a charger is procured, integrated, certified, installed, and then used—then addresses compliance and enforcement consequences.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to a “specified person” (P) who has authorisation to conduct an approved special use or an approved trial involving specified AMVs. It also applies to P’s authorised personnel—employees/officers/agents who participate in the approved special use or trial and are authorised to act on P’s behalf.
In addition, the exemptions extend to other persons (such as suppliers, installers, and certifiers) when they act in connection with P’s chargers and meet the Order’s conditions—particularly obtaining a written undertaking from P and ensuring technical compatibility and (for fixed chargers) installation within specified premises.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is important because it operationalises a practical regulatory compromise: it supports autonomous vehicle trials and special uses while maintaining control over charging infrastructure access and technical compatibility. Without such an exemption, the Act’s general EV charging compliance regime could impose burdens that are disproportionate to the limited, authorised, and controlled nature of autonomous trials.
For practitioners advising autonomous mobility operators, technology vendors, and certification/installation contractors, the Order’s conditional framework is the key. The exemptions are not automatic; they depend on documented undertakings, compatibility checks, restricted-use measures, and (for fixed chargers) correct placement within specified premises. These are the elements most likely to be scrutinised in audits, incidents, or enforcement contexts.
From an enforcement perspective, Sections 7–9 are particularly consequential because they address both regulatory oversight (inspection and records) and penal exposure (improper use/charging offences). By carving out specified AMV charging activities, the Order reduces the risk that experimental or trial-specific charging practices could trigger liability—provided the operator stays within the defined scope and conditions.
Related Legislation
- Electric Vehicles Charging Act 2022
- Road Traffic Act 1961
- Parking Places Act 1974
- Road Traffic (Autonomous Motor Vehicles) Rules 2017 (G.N. No. S 464/2017) — “AV Rules”
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Electric Vehicles Charging (Specified Autonomous Motor Vehicles — Exemption) Order 2024 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.