Singapore prepares to move towards an EV future

[ASEAN NOW News]

Mr Muhammad Isa Ali (left) from Tower Transit Singapore and Mr James Rayappan with Strides Mobility (right). (Photo: Tower Transit Singapore, CNA/Grace Yeoh)

 

SINGAPORE: As one of the first at Tower Transit Singapore to inspect an electric bus, Muhammad Isa Ali is quick to rattle off the differences between a diesel bus and an electric bus. 

 

Namely, the lack of noise and noxious fumes emitting from the latter. For example, a sleeping baby would still be sleeping if an electric bus were to drive by, but the same cannot be said if a diesel bus were to pass, the 31-year-old engineering supervisor said.

 

But Mr Isa's knowledge about electric buses today didn't come without embracing multiple opportunities to upgrade his skills. 

 

When he joined Tower Transit Singapore as a vehicle technician in 2016, he was armed with just a diploma in marine engineering, an unrelated field. He was initially unable to identify any mechanical aspect of a bus besides its engine. 

 

Knowing that he had to bridge the gap in his knowledge, Mr Isa turned to an unlikely source: Video games. 

 

“There's this one game called Car Mechanic Simulator, which actually taught me a few things about parts and things like that. And of course, it taught me how to open things. But of course, one thing it didn’t teach me is how to open nuts and bolts in a very tight space,” he said. 

 

In his previous role as a vehicle technician, Mr Isa was the “designated vehicle examiner.”

 

His main job was to inspect buses to ensure they were safe, and that they wouldn’t break down on the road. 

 

Since then, he has also been trained and certified in electric vehicle (EV) awareness and hazard management. 

 

For the full report go to CNA.