ASIA. Volt awarded contract by Setsco to implement and operate Southeast Asia’s largest public EV fast-charging hub
Volt Singapore Pte Ltd (Volt), the electric vehicle (EV) charging arm of Keppel’s infrastructure division, has been awarded a contract to implement and operate a public EV fast-charging hub at Jalan Papan by Setsco Services Pte Ltd (Setsco), a wholly owned subsidiary of VICOM Ltd (VICOM). Setsco will provide electrical infrastructure and facilities while Volt operate the fast-charging hub for up to 15 years. This initiative is in line with the Singapore Green Plan 2030, supporting the nation’s electrification efforts by significantly enhancing the charging infrastructure for EVs.
The EV chargers at the new hub are expected to be the largest deployment of public ultrafast chargers at a single site in Southeast Asia. The hub will feature up to 80 direct-current (DC) charging points of 360kW and 120kW ratings, which will be installed in multiple phases to serve the general public, including electric buses, taxis, private hire cars, and other electric vehicles.
The first phase, comprising five 360kW DC chargers, can charge up to 30 electric buses and EVs. When fully developed, the facility can support concurrent charging for up to 80 electric buses, with charging time for electric cars as fast as 10 minutes. The first phase of the installation is expected to be operational in 1H 2026, coinciding with the launch of the new integrated testing facilities at Jalan Papan.
Mr Lim Yong Wei, Executive Director of Volt, stated: “We are excited to partner with Setsco on this groundbreaking project, which marks a significant milestone in Singapore’s journey towards a greener future by providing robust infrastructure for EV charging. Volt looks forward to supporting the transition to EVs, especially for commercial fleets and electric buses to reduce emissions, promoting sustainable transportation.”
Mr Sim Wing Yew, CEO of VICOM, the parent company of Setsco, added: “The upcoming fast-charging hub at our new integrated testing facility is part of VICOM’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and enabling a green economy in Singapore. By providing convenient overnight charging for electric bus operators, we are eliminating a major hurdle for wider adoption and ensuring these clean vehicles can operate efficiently. Through this partnership with Volt, we are taking a significant step forward in bolstering Singapore’s electric bus infrastructure.”
The EV charging infrastructure will be remotely monitored and optimised in real-time, leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning from Keppel’s intelligent Operations Nerve Centre (ONC) in Keppel Infrastructure@Changi. Recently, Volt was also awarded a tender by EV-Electric (Eve) Charging Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Land Transport Authority of Singapore, to deploy public fast-charging points across Singapore. With this new tender, Volt will implement and operate EV chargers across 10 public carparks in Singapore by 2025.
The abovementioned developments are not expected to have any material impact on the net tangible asset per share or earnings per share of Keppel for the current financial year.