Green-coloured vehicle registration plates for EVs and PHEVs in Singapore

Singapore-registered EVs and PHEVs will go green in more ways than one, when they switch over to green-coloured vehicle registration plates in due course. 

Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will introduce a third colour scheme for the standard vehicle registration plates affixed to Singapore-registered passenger cars and commercial vehicles. 

Currently, there are two choices available: white-on-black (white alphanumerics with a black background) for the front and rear of the the vehicle; or black-on-white (black alphanumerics with a white background) for the vehicle’s front and black-on-yellow (black alphanumerics with a yellow background) for the vehicle’s rear. 

The third colour scheme to be rolled out is meant for full EVs (electric vehicles) and PHEVs (plug-in hybrid vehicles). Regular hybrids without plug-in capability are exempted and will continue to use the existing registration plates as detailed in the prior paragraph.

EVs and PHEVs with coloured licence plates under selective vehicle schemes are also not required to install the differentiated green licence plates. LTA gave the example of orange-coloured plates for hazardous-material transport vehicles, but did not specifically mention the red “off-peak car” plates which drivers are probably more familiar with on the road.  

The idea here is to make EVs and PHEVs easily recognisable by first responders, such as firemen responding promptly to an electric or semi-electric vehicle which is on fire or had a serious crash. 

According to the SCDF emergency handbook (10th edition), fires involving high-voltage batteries used in EVs and PHEVs are more challenging than fires involving internal combustion engines, because of the increased risk of electrocution and the greater danger of extreme heat from the affected traction battery. Thermal runaway, or uncontrollable self-heating, is probably the most dangerous.

Precious minutes, and lives too, could be saved if first responders are able to recognise it’s an EV/PHEV immediately, without needing to check the vehicle registration number against the LTA database or identifying the exact model in question based on its model insignia. Noting the colour of the registration plates will be easier, faster and ultimately safer. 

According to the LTA-SCDF joint news release, the two government agencies will engage authorised motor dealers, selected signcraft workshops and current EV/PHEV owners to gather their feedback. This will be done through a month of focus-group discussions and online surveys, which will start at the end of March 2026. 

There is no information now about whom exactly the authorities will consult in this case and which of the three tentative designs might be modified based on the opinions received.

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