Electric motorcycles in Singapore: features, riding and charging
How electric motorcycles differ from petrol motorcycles, which licence class applies by power rating, how to adjust to acceleration, and LTA’s guidance for charging detachable batteries.
Primary source: https://www.police.gov.sg/-/media/SPF/Knowledge-Hub/Traffic/BT-ENG-24126.pdf
Electric motorcycles in Singapore: features, riding and charging
How they differ from petrol motorcycles
The SPF Basic Theory of Driving handbook describes electric motorcycles and scooters as plug-in vehicles with two or three wheels. Electricity stored in a rechargeable battery drives one or more electric motors. It says electric motorcycles are generally similar in size and weight to petrol motorcycles and have comparable performance; their features and functions, including brakes, mirrors and lights, are generally similar too (SPF, Basic Theory of Driving Handbook, Part B: Electric Motorcycle).
An electric motorcycle has automatic transmission and no clutch. The handbook notes that some petrol motorcycles and scooters are automatic as well. It also says electric motorcycles have higher torque, which produces stronger acceleration, and are generally lighter and quieter because they have no engine noise (SPF, Basic Theory of Driving Handbook, Part B: Electric Motorcycle).
Licence class and motor power
SPF’s current licence table assigns an electric motorcycle class according to motor power: Class 2B for a power rating not exceeding 15 kW; Class 2A for 15.1 kW to 25 kW; and Class 2 for more than 25 kW. The published ranges do not specify a class for ratings above 15 kW but below 15.1 kW. For a motorcycle in that interval, confirm its class with Traffic Police rather than inferring one from the table. A rider must hold the class that covers the motorcycle (SPF, Singapore Driving Licence).
ERP 2.0 onboard unit
LTA says an ERP 2.0 On-Board Unit (OBU) will be mandatory for Singapore-registered vehicles travelling on public roads from 1 January 2027, subject to specified exemptions. LTA notes that an External Battery Device (EBD) may be required for some vehicles that cannot supply constant power to the OBU, including electric motorcycles without auxiliary batteries. Whether an EBD is needed is determined through a technical feasibility assessment by an LTA-authorised EBD installation and inspection centre (OneMotoring, ERP 2.0).
Riding and charging guidance
The handbook advises riders to become accustomed to an electric motorcycle’s faster acceleration and says the general road-safety rules should apply (SPF, Basic Theory of Driving Handbook, Part B: Electric Motorcycle).
For charging, LTA’s Electric Vehicle Guide for Drivers says detachable electric-motorcycle batteries should be charged at a Battery Charge and Swap Station (BCSS), or while securely fitted in the motorcycle at a designated charging station. Its checklist says not to charge detachable e-motorcycle batteries at home; it also warns against adaptors, extension cords and 13A household sockets for EV charging (LTA, Electric Vehicle Guide for Drivers, pp. 24–25).
Coverage debt
The SPF handbook and LTA driver guide cited here do not provide electric-motorcycle-specific battery range or routine battery-maintenance instructions. Those details remain out of scope until verified in an official source.