Reviewing Structural Load Capacity of Multi-storey Car Parks Given Greater Adoption of EVs which are Generally Heavier

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for National Development in view of the increasing adoption of electric vehicles, which are generally heavier than comparable internal combustion engine vehicles, whether Housing and Development Board has assessed the structural load capacity of existing multi-storey car parks in public housing estates to ensure that they can safely accommodate a higher proportion of heavier electric vehicles.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for National Development (a) what are the design live load standards applied to Housing and Development Board (HDB) car parks; (b) whether these standards provide sufficient safety margins for current and projected vehicle weight trends; and (c) whether older HDB multi-storey car parks constructed under earlier design codes differ in load capacity from newer ones.

Mr Chee Hong Tat: All Housing and Development Board car parks are designed in accordance with prevailing building codes and design standards, based on passenger vehicles with unladen weight not exceeding 2,000 kilogrammes. Based on current weight trends, existing car parks are still within safety margins.

The agencies are reviewing how the structure of our car parks can be enhanced to accommodate potentially heavier vehicles in future. More information will be announced when ready.