Lab for vehicle emission testing reopens after $3m upgrade

2-month closure caused backlog of vehicles to be tested as facility is the only one approved here

- Lee Nian Tjoe

Some importers are starting to breathe easier after a vehicle emission test facility received the green light to reopen on March 27 to certify vehicles under a more stringent standard.

This follows a two-month closure that led to a backlog of cars, light trucks and motorcycles that had to be tested.

The Vicom Emission Test Laboratory (VETL) in Bukit Batok, which is the only approved laboratory for emission tests in Singapore, was closed in January 2023 for a $3 million upgrade.

While the laboratory was closed, some dealers could not get their newly imported vehicles certified locally for registration. With the facility back in operation, the race is on to get their vehicles tested to make up for lost time.

A VETL spokesman said it now takes between one and two weeks to get a test slot and another three to five working days for the report to be ready. Each test costs upwards of $2,595, and up to 20 vehicles can be tested weekly.

The equipment can handle cars, motorcycles and trucks that weigh up to 3.5 tonnes.

All newly imported vehicles are required to have emission test reports from approved sources before they can be sold in Singapore.

Parallel importers said that they were more affected by the VETL's temporary closure than authorised distributors, which can get ready test reports from vehicle manufacturers.