SINGAPORE – In early February, the Tesla Owners Club Singapore wrote to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) voicing safety concerns over the installation of external lithium battery systems to power on-board units (OBUs) that must be installed in all vehicles here by the end of 2026.
The letter raised concerns over the risks of installing a continuously charged lithium battery system that “lacks a visible active cooling or thermal management subsystem” inside Tesla cabins, highlighting among other things the fire hazard if the battery overheats.
Responding to queries from The Straits Times regarding this, LTA on Feb 20 clarified that the external battery device complies with international safety standards for electronic devices, and does not charge continuously.
To work reliably, OBUs require a constant power supply, which is available for most vehicles on the road today. However, some electric motorcycles and cars – and Teslas in particular – do not have such a feature.
LTA added that it landed on equipping Tesla cars with an external battery device after working with Tesla Singapore for a workable solution.
