TRANSPORT giant ComfortDelGro has pretty much written off compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles as an alternative to its diesel buses and cabs, but is keen to explore electric hybrids.
Group chief executive Kua Hong Pak told the company's annual general meeting yesterday: "We were the first to try CNG buses here, but we have found them to be not effective, costlier to buy and maintain, and there is a lack of refuelling infrastructure."
The group has been running CNG buses since 2001 and has 12 in its fleet.
Mr Kua was responding to a shareholder's question on what the transport group was doing to prepare for the time when oil production peaks and starts to taper.
"There is an abundant supply of diesel today," he said. "Actually, supply outstrips demand. It is speculation that has been driving up prices."
Nevertheless, he said the company was considering various alternative vehicles, in particular, hybrids.
"In the UK, we are trying out a fleet of diesel-electric hybrid buses."
Mr Kua told The Straits Times after the meeting that ComfortDelGro has 10 such buses in London and is looking to add more if it can secure government support, possibly in the form of subsidies or tax breaks.
He said there was no such incentive for hybrid buses here, but ComfortDelGro is keen to explore petrol-electric hybrid taxis.
"The Toyota Camry Hybrid looks quite promising," he noted.
"But it would be costly."
Toyota distributor Borneo Motors expects the Camry Hybrid, which is made in Thailand, to arrive some time in June - that is if the street protests there do not escalate.
Although prices have not been fixed here, the car is about 20 per cent more expensive than an average petrol Camry in the United States.
If that price premium applies here, the car could cost the same as a regular 2.4-litre Camry after Singapore's green vehicle rebate.
This tax break is equivalent to 40 per cent of the car's open market value.
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
To those who heard that Comfort contract with Sonata had ended .
And they are coming up with Wish ?
2 years ago , i already heard Hyundai Sonata contract is going to end .
Now still they launching .
Why ?
So to negotiate better deal with Komoco , dude .
fark these bastards .hybrid so wad? camry big fark? all the calls no destination , even give a bentley taxi also will end up in ah seng , ah wood , ah shun, ah wang phui!
yah , i would prefer a 3 wheel sampang , that has call-with-destination , hahahahah
Originally posted by Tio Call Liao:fark these bastards .hybrid so wad?
Hybrid ? Make money lor damn , hahahahah
i dun believe hybrid will be in their agenda , i will be very surprised .
Cos meaning CDG are going to forgo the lucrative diesel sales .
Originally posted by Poolman:i dun believe hybrid will be in their agenda , i will be very surprised .
Cos meaning CDG are going to forgo the lucrative diesel sales .
dun think this plan will be anytime soon , if use hybrid means they have to also offer cheaper petrol price, where they going to find such lobang? then are they going to have 2 kind of kiosk?? 1 diesel 1 petrol?
Originally posted by Tio Call Liao:fark these bastards .hybrid so wad? camry big fark? all the calls no destination , even give a bentley taxi also will end up in ah seng , ah wood , ah shun, ah wang phui!
veri correct bro haha but 1 of our bro driving blue
here his calls beri steam 1. tink time u guys do sometin
to the mdt make them change liao haha
Originally posted by Poolman:yah , i would prefer a 3 wheel sampang , that has call-with-destination , hahahahah
if only trans got a powerful call base , i will surely jump but too bad la , the places where i camp cant even find a single red fire engine ahhaa
Originally posted by Tio Call Liao:if only trans got a powerful call base , i will surely jump but too bad la , the places where i camp cant even find a single red fire engine ahhaa
i dare to go where others do not..... ;)
eh bro maybe today i try whack seletar that side
liao i let u guys knoe if i can find the pattern there
Originally posted by komade:i dare to go where others do not..... ;)
eh bro maybe today i try whack seletar that side
liao i let u guys knoe if i can find the pattern there
good good , check that place out especially the park. i went in to recce but got lost , it is one big big maze inside.
Originally posted by Tio Call Liao:good good , check that place out especially the park. i went in to recce but got lost , it is one big big maze inside.
hehe who he ventures where none have gone will be rewarded ;)
Sorry guys , Seletar Camp is dominated by Beach Road Radio taxis for decades liao , hahahahah
Originally posted by Poolman:Sorry guys , Seletar Camp is dominated by Beach Road Radio taxis for decades liao , hahahahah
hmmm.... all the offices inside?? juz try try lor no harm maybe
can explore new tins..... eh btw how veask day go where makan??
Senior citizen kenny jio sakura again ;)
Originally posted by Tio Call Liao:fark these bastards .hybrid so wad? camry big fark? all the calls no destination , even give a bentley taxi also will end up in ah seng , ah wood , ah shun, ah wang phui!
bro ah seng so what ah wood ah so what i kena till ah wang park but still by 11 hit target...relax but makan go AP....we are not young or handsome so we must be ten balls party...
how about a diesel-electric hybrid car for taxi instead of petrol ? Perharps ComfortDelGro should modify some of the sampan taxi to run diesel-electric hybrid to test on the road? Mr Kua dare to say we are trying out a fleet of diesel-electric hybrid buses in england? Those buses save 30 percent in diesel.
Same as usual.. they (Comfort) will "test" a few vehicles on the road 1st.... they always test test... ended up with the same ans again... in 2009, they profited (net) estimated $8 millions from Diesel sales... if they change to CNGs... all this revenue gone....
I guessed the underlying problems is getting a tank filled with CNGs is not as fast as filling up your diesel or petrol tanks... the nos of existing vehicles lining up to refill (especially those with 2 drivers going for shift change - long long wait).. if all 14k taxis go to Mandai, Serangoon Ave 5 or Jur Island... you got to wait for a long time.. If CDG intent to have their own plant... the cost of connecting/building up to facilitates the fleet is no easy task... Hence, they are looking for other alternatives....
Comfort has 20+ diesel kisok around the island... and their diesel prices are cheaper as compared to the commercial kisok.. hence, almost every TDs will chose to go back to base for refills...
One Full tank can last you 800-900km on diesel ? but CNGs can only bring you about 240-260 km... how many times you need to go back and refills ?? clocking 300km plus a night (per half shift) is not difficult right ?
Originally posted by Just_do_it_lah:I guessed the underlying problems is getting a tank filled with CNGs is not as fast as filling up your diesel or petrol tanks... the nos of existing vehicles lining up to refill (especially those with 2 drivers going for shift change - long long wait).. if all 14k taxis go to Mandai, Serangoon Ave 5 or Jur Island... you got to wait for a long time.. If CDG intent to have their own plant... the cost of connecting/building up to facilitates the fleet is no easy task... Hence, they are looking for other alternatives....
Comfort has 20+ diesel kisok around the island... and their diesel prices are cheaper as compared to the commercial kisok.. hence, almost every TDs will chose to go back to base for refills...
One Full tank can last you 800-900km on diesel ? but CNGs can only bring you about 240-260 km... how many times you need to go back and refills ?? clocking 300km plus a night (per half shift) is not difficult right ?
If refilling is not a problem.. then it probably solved the most crucial issue... CDG did survey on drivers too.. if you got to wait for an hour just to get pumped up ... that one hour counts for nothing.. opportunities cost lost.
Hybrid will end up with Prime taxis . Only this coy can bring in the cars that none of other taxi operator can coz they buy direct from Country of Origin. No middle man.
Originally posted by Benqepson68:Hybrid will end up with Prime taxis . Only this coy can bring in the cars that none of other taxi operator can coz they buy direct from Country of Origin. No middle man.
Actually they bought from middle man from Japan. To meet quota set by the manufacturer, authorised agent have to find export market to sell their cars. So these cars ended up in foreign market.