Moving from a petrol car to an electric one changes some costs and leaves others alone. This breakdown uses the BYD Atto 3, an electric SUV, as the example. It lists the costs that have figures. It describes in words the costs that depend on you.
What changes when you switch
Four costs shift when you go electric:
- the price of the car itself
- how road tax is worked out
- the insurance premium
- how you pay for energy, at a charger instead of a pump
Parking, ERP and servicing still apply. Their amounts depend on where you live, where you drive and how you use the car.
The list price
The BYD Atto 3 Electric Evo 60.48 kWh was listed at S$184,888, as listed on 10 October 2026. That list price includes COE as listed that day. It is not today's price.
When you ask for a current quote, check what sits inside the number:
- whether COE is included, and for which bidding round
- whether registration fees are included
- whether any rebate for electric cars has been taken off
The facts here give no rebate rates for electric cars. LTA's OneMotoring site sets out the current schemes. Car loans also have limits set by rules. Those limits are not given here either, so check them before you plan a down payment.
COE for the BYD Atto 3
A fully electric BYD Atto 3 needs a Category A COE if its motor is 110kW (147bhp) or less. In the October 2026 2nd round, that was S$132,004. If its motor is more powerful, it needs a Category B COE. That was S$131,901 in the same round.
A petrol car's category is set by different limits. LTA publishes them on OneMotoring. You can follow the latest results on the COE page.
Road tax: motor power instead of engine size
This is where the switch changes the sum most clearly. A petrol car's road tax is worked out on engine capacity. An electric car's road tax is worked out on motor power.
For a 134bhp (100kW) electric motor, LTA's formula gives S$1,501.56 a year. That figure was checked on 19 October 2026 and is before any age surcharge.
The facts here do not include a road tax figure for a petrol engine. To compare, take your current car's road tax notice. Then use the formula on LTA's OneMotoring site. The road tax guide explains how the bill is built.
Both kinds of car pay a surcharge as they age:
- over 10 years: +10%
- over 11 years: +20%
- over 12 years: +30%
- over 13 years: +40%
- over 14 years: +50%
Insurance for the BYD Atto 3
The BYD Atto 3 price page shows example premiums dated 27 October 2026. They are for one stated driver, not what you will pay:
- main driver aged 40, married, office job, driving 10 years
- 50% no-claim discount (NCD), no claims
- car registered 3 years ago, private use
- repairs at an authorised workshop, no options
For that driver, 11 insurers price the car. The lowest premium is S$789.73, for a collision-only plan with a S$600 excess. The highest is S$2,072.07, with a S$2,500 excess. That is S$1,282.34, or 162%, more for the same driver and car.
Excesses across the plans run from S$600 to S$3,000. A low premium can come with a high excess. Read both numbers together. The excess guide explains how it works at claim time.
Plan names also differ. One is named collision only. Several are named for electric cars. Check what each plan covers before you compare prices.
Seven insurers show no online price for this car. Two of them do not quote electric cars online. So the insurer on your petrol car may not give you an online quote for an electric one. The electric vs petrol car insurance guide covers the main differences.
Against 6 similar electric cars, the Atto 3's lowest premium is 23% below their average lowest price of S$1,025.72. One of those cars is the Tesla Model 3, at S$869.87 for the same driver.
How the premium moves with the driver
The price page also shows the lowest premium when one thing changes:
- the same driver with no NCD: S$1,207.68, 53% more
- the same driver with 20% NCD: S$1,207.68
- a driver aged 27, 3 years' driving, 30% NCD: S$1,207.68
- a driver aged 65, 20 years' driving, 50% NCD: S$968.84
- a new car, registered this year: S$1,010.90
- a car 8 years old: S$776.18
NCD makes the biggest difference of these. If you are switching cars, ask whether your current NCD moves with you to the new car. The NCD guide explains how it is earned and lost.
Charging, in general terms
With petrol, you pay at the pump. With an electric car, you pay at a charger, at home or in public. The facts here give no charging prices, so this part stays in words.
What you pay depends on:
- the price per kWh at the charger you use
- whether you charge at home, at work or at public points
- any subscription, session or idle fees
- how far you drive each week
The Atto 3 listed here has a 60.48 kWh battery. How much it costs to fill depends on the tariff you pay.
If you live in an HDB flat, check what charging is available in your car park. Rules on chargers at homes and car parks are not given here. LTA's OneMotoring site is the place to start.
Costs that depend on you
Some costs follow the owner, not the car:
- Parking. Season parking at an HDB car park, at work or in a condo varies by location.
- ERP. Charges depend on which roads you use and when.
- Servicing and tyres. Ask the seller what the service plan covers and for how long.
- Loan interest. It depends on the amount, the term and the rate you are offered.
- Your old car. What you get for your petrol car changes how much cash the switch needs.
None of these have figures here. Each is worth writing down before you compare your current running costs with an electric car's.
What this adds up to
The figures shown in this piece:
- List price: S$184,888 for the BYD Atto 3 Electric Evo 60.48 kWh, as listed on 10 October 2026, including COE that day
- COE, October 2026 2nd round: Category A S$132,004, Category B S$131,901, depending on motor power
- Road tax: S$1,501.56 a year for a 134bhp (100kW) electric motor, before any age surcharge
- Insurance example: S$789.73 to S$2,072.07 a year for the price page's driver, as of 27 October 2026
- Same driver with no NCD: lowest premium S$1,207.68
- Not shown here: petrol road tax, charging costs, rebates, parking and ERP; check OneMotoring and your own bills for these
Car insurance through Shenton Brokers
Before you drive off or renew, get your car insurance through Shenton Brokers. Compare car insurance for the BYD Atto 3 to see today's prices from every insurer we compare. Or get a quote with your own details.