MNL targets older Singapore estates for EV retrofits

MNL Solutions is targeting older private residential estates in Singapore for EV charging retrofits, arguing that these developments face electrical constraints that larger charging networks often avoid.

The move comes as attention in Singapore's charging market has focused on consolidation following SP Mobility's acquisition of ChargEco, which shifts more than 1,000 public chargers to SP. SP Mobility has 1,596 charging points and ChargEco 1,098, further concentrating public charging infrastructure in the hands of large operators.

MNL is focusing on a different segment: ageing private condominiums not designed for the electrical load required by modern charging systems. ERA Singapore estimates that about 31% of private condominium developments in the city-state are more than 30 years old.

That creates a practical problem for management corporations and residents as EV ownership rises. EVs made up 57.6% of all new car registrations in the first quarter of 2026, a record level that has increased pressure on both public and residential charging infrastructure.

In many older estates, the standard solution has been to upgrade the electrical substation. But that process can be slow and costly, with expenses typically falling on condominium sinking funds, making it a difficult proposition for committees and residents.

MNL is using smart load management software from Schneider Electric under an exclusive partnership to work within a building's existing approved electrical capacity. The system regulates and distributes electricity across chargers instead of drawing maximum power at all times, helping avoid local grid overloads.

The company says this allows estates to install charging points without major structural electrical upgrades. That distinction matters in older developments, where engineering work can quickly become more complex than in newer projects planned with EV adoption in mind.

Legacy estates

Older private developments are becoming a key test case in Singapore's shift to electric transport. Newer residential projects can often include charging infrastructure from the outset, but legacy estates must adapt shared facilities, funding arrangements and voting processes before installation can proceed.

The challenge is not only technical. Condominium committees must also persuade residents to approve works under the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act framework, where decisions on common property can be contentious.

MNL says recent changes that lowered voting thresholds under the BMSMA have made it easier for residents who support EV charging to push through upgrades. It also works with management committees on education and resident engagement to secure approval for installations.

Retrofitting can therefore involve a mix of power management, site design and stakeholder handling. In mature estates, available capacity in common electrical systems, parking layouts and residents' willingness to fund changes can all determine whether a charging project goes ahead.

Market pressure

The broader market is becoming harder for older estates to ignore. As EV adoption rises, charging access is starting to affect the attractiveness of residential properties, especially where buyers expect home charging or at least charging within the development.

That could widen the gap between newer projects and older condominiums if mature estates fail to modernise. While the biggest public networks continue to expand across commercial and public locations, private residential charging remains a separate infrastructure challenge with different economics and approval hurdles.

MNL's strategy suggests that smaller specialist operators see an opening where large utility-backed groups may be less willing to take on customised engineering work in older properties. In such estates, the business case often depends less on scale than on the ability to solve site-specific electrical and governance problems.

Schneider Electric's role gives MNL access to an established energy management platform, but local execution still depends on convincing condo boards and residents that retrofits can be completed without major disruption to common assets or excessive spending from reserve funds.

That may become increasingly important as Singapore's EV market expands beyond early adopters into mainstream demand. In that environment, pressure on older estates is likely to come not only from transport policy but also from resident expectations and property market competition.

MNL's position is that mature residential developments do not need to wait for expensive utility works before installing chargers, provided electricity use can be managed within existing approved limits and resident votes can be secured.

For condominium committees, that offers a narrower but potentially more workable route to electrification than a full substation upgrade, particularly at a time when estates are balancing infrastructure renewal with the need to preserve sinking funds.