Singaporean financial adviser Winnie Koh faced a dilemma when selecting her family’s next car – she appreciated the value for money offered by Chinese electric vehicle (EV) brands, but still had lingering concerns about their quality.
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But the 30-year-old said her experience driving a Tesla in the US raised doubts about the brand’s battery life and durability, leading her to consider Chinese rival BYD, which was offering incentives such as a 20 per cent discount on charging for three years and support for Singapore’s notoriously expensive Certificate of entitlement (COE).
“It is Chinese technology, but that’s never really been the problem; the technology out of China has always been good,” she told This Week in Asia, adding that her main concern was whether the manufacturers were cutting corners during production.
Koh eventually settled on a BYD in January for S$164,888 (US$127,000), and said she has been pleasantly surprised by its performance and features, including keyless start, a 360-degree camera system and assisted driving.
Her decision is emblematic of a broader trend on Singapore’s roads, where Chinese electric cars are quickly gaining traction and, often surpassing traditional competitors from Japan, Europe, and the US.
According to official data released on Monday, BYD emerged as the bestselling car brand in Singapore for the first half of 2025, with 4,661 new registrations, more than triple closest EV rivals Tesla’s 1,419 and far ahead of BMW’s 725.