Saturday Mornings: Singapore's COE at $128K+ Is Car Ownership Dream Out of Reach on the Red Dot?

Published on 19 Oct 2025
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đźš—“Saturday Mornings Show” host Glenn van Zutphen and co-host Neil Humphreys are joined by Kwee Neng Say, Managing Partner at ONE Strategic Consulting and a veteran of Singapore’s automotive industry. They unpack the latest COE prices: Category A premiums have hit a record $128,105, with Category B climbing to $141,000. What’s driving these sky-high prices? From longer tender gaps and car roadshows to cheaper EVs and the looming reduction of clean-energy incentives in 2026, we explore some reasons behind the surge. Say breaks it down in plain terms—why premiums are soaring, where he thinks they'll go next. He also discusses deeper questions: the necessity of the COE system fair and what the alternative looks like? Should private-hire vehicles be treated differently from private car owners? And will car ownership soon be as exclusive as flying first class?

Photo Courtesy: MoneySmart

 

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