Best Car for Grab: Petrol, Hybrid, or Electric?

With Tesla’s share price hitting a record high of over US$1,200 in November 2021, it is clear that interest in Electric Vehicles continues to surge tremendously globally. Likewise in Singapore, the government has unveiled the Singapore Green Plan and aims to accelerate the nationwide deployment of electric vehicle charging points to 60,000 by 2030, in order to achieve its wider long-term net-zero emissions goal.

For full-time private-hire drivers, the inherent advantage of EVs and Hybrid vehicles are obvious – they allow you to save on petrol costs in the long term. However, the rental rates for EVs and Hybrids are also often more expensive than their petrol counterparts, and having to source charging points for EV cars may deter private hire (PHV) drivers from renting them.

This begs the question – which car model is most suitable for you? Let us weigh the pros and cons of each model below.

What are the differences between Petrol, Hybrid AND Electric cars?

1. Petrol Cars

Petrol cars can be defined as vehicles that are powered on an internal combustion engine with spark-ignition, and the petrol is refueled at petrol stations like Caltex, Shell, SPC and more. According to statistics released by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), petrol cars make up about 88% of the monthly vehicle population of cars in Singapore.

Popular petrol car models for private hire (PHV) drivers:
Mazda 3, Toyota Altis, Toyota Vios, Nissan Qashqai, KIA Cerato

Advantages:

Lower cost of rental. Petrol cars typically have the lowest rental cost, as compared to Hybrid and Electric cars. Petrol cars are especially suitable for drivers who may not be driving for Grab on a full-time basis, and would like the lower commitment & lower upfront rental cost associated with renting a petrol car.
Wide variety of car model choices, as compared to Electric vehicles

Disadvantages:

High fuel consumption, which in turn leads to high spending on petrol. Furthermore, pump prices have been rising steadily since mid-2020, and have rebounded to pre-circuit breaker levels.
More maintenance may be necessary, as combustion-powered vehicles tend to require more maintenance and upkeep as compared to Hybrid and Electric vehicles. Although maintenance and servicing costs are covered when you rent a car from GrabRentals, this may translate into more downtime on the road for you.

Who are petrol cars suitable for?

Part-time private hire (PHV) drivers for whom the longer term impact of rising petrol costs are less significant, and drivers who prefer to keep the cost of daily rental low.

2. Hybrid Cars

Hybrid cars are powered by a combination of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. Hybrid cars (with the exception of plug-in hybrids), charge their battery through their internal system and will not need to be plugged into an electrical charging point like an Electric Vehicle.

Popular hybrid car models for private hire (PHV) drivers:
Honda Vezel, Toyota Prius, Toyota Prius Plus, Toyota Sienta

Advantages:

Hybrids are more fuel-efficient, due to the combination of an internal combustion engine with an electric motor. This means that hybrid cars require less petrol to cover longer distances, and you can save on petrol costs in the long term
Ability to accept more job types, like JustGrab Green on Grab, where all electric and hybrid vehicles of minimally Vehicular Emission Scheme (VES) A2 band will be allowed to serve passengers who opt for this service.
Lesser car maintenance needed. The electric engine in a hybrid creates less wear and tear on an engine, thus reducing the downtime needed for maintenance & servicing.
Environmentally friendly. Not only do hybrid cars cause less air pollution, hybrids automatically shut off the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop, reducing wasted energy from idling.

Disadvantages:

May have a higher daily cost of rental as compared to petrol cars, and may not be suitable for part-time private hire drivers who are concerned with covering the cost of rental.

Who are hybrid cars suitable for?

Private hire (PHV) drivers who are committed over the longer term may be able to maximise the petrol cost savings.

Environmentally conscious drivers who are not quite ready to take the plunge and switch to an EV, due to the lack of EV charging locations and duration of charging.

3. Electric Vehicle (EV)

Electric vehicles operate on an electric motor, and have an internal battery which will need to be recharged at external electrical charging points. The battery capacity of an EV is expressed in kilowatt hours (kWh). For example, the battery capacity of a Hyundai Kona is 39.2 kWh.

Popular EV models for private hire (PHV) drivers:
Hyundai Kona

Advantages:

Cost-effective in the long run. With EVs, you will be able to save on petrol costs, especially when petrol prices are rising. According to the SP app, EV charging fees as of 7 Dec 2021 costs $0.4949/kWh. To fully charge a Hyundai Kona would cost around $19 (battery capacity (39.2kWh) x EV charging fee ($0.4949/kWh)).
Similar to Hybrids, EVs are environmentally friendly as well. According to the LTA, an EV emits half the amount of carbon dioxide as compared to a similar vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine.
Electric vehicles are quieter, making for a much more silent drive on the road.
Ability to accept more job types, like JustGrab Green on the Grab app

Disadvantages:

Higher upfront rental cost
EV charging locations. While there are currently more than 1,800 charging points at over 200 stations islandwide, you may have to detour to locate a charging station if there are none in your residential area.
EV charging time. Charging time may also deter drivers. The Hyundai Kona can be charged to 80% in slightly less than an hour with a 100kW DC fast charger, and up to 6 hours for a standard AC charger. However, the majority of EV charging ports in Singapore provide the standard AC charger and therefore require longer charging times.

Who are EVs suitable for?

Full-time private hire (PHV) drivers and environmentally conscious drivers who wish to maximise their cost savings in petrol fees.

Which car model should I drive for Grab?

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to determining which car model is the best for you. Depending on your personal preference and needs, you may choose to go with either a petrol, hybrid or electric vehicle.

For drivers who prefer hybrid or petrol cars, hirer-partners who rent from GrabRentals can enjoy a 29% upfront fuel discount at Caltex stations islandwide! GrabRentals offers one of the biggest fuel discounts, and you can even get an additional 2% discount (bringing your fuel discount up to 31%) if you opt in for GRBeyond.

Book your car with us now!

Rent your car from GrabRentals now! We’re the largest private-hire car rental fleet in Singapore. Whether you are interested in petrol, hybrid or electric cars, we have a wide-ranging vehicle fleet available for you.

For new hirer-partners, you may visit our website here to book your car online. Existing hirer-partners may recontract online here. If you would like to find out more or speak to our customer helpdesk, you can also book an appointment at our Grab Drivers Centre or chat with us on our Facebook page.