Tracey’s Big Car Question: EV or an ICE Car in Singapore?

Tracey (a Chinese girl wearing a bright Chinese dragon head gear and a modern Chinese festival costume) was scrolling through a news-style article about car costs in Singapore when she hit a huge question: if you want a car, should you choose an EV (electric vehicle) or an ICE car (a petrol/diesel car with an internal combustion engine)?

The article explains that in Singapore, the total price you pay isn’t just “the car price.” A big part of it is the COE (Certificate of Entitlement), which is like a permit that lets you own a car for a set number of years. The article gives an example to show how the COE can change the final cost comparison.

## What the article’s example shows
In the example, the article says:
– If we add a COE of **S$120,000**, the **total upfront cost** becomes about **S$210,200 for an EV**.
– In the same example, the **total upfront cost** becomes about **S$220,000 for an ICE car**.

So in that specific scenario, the EV ends up looking a bit cheaper at the start.

Tracey read that and blinked. “Wait… I thought EVs are always more expensive!” she said. Then she realized the article’s point: in Singapore, COE is so important that it can make the final numbers surprisingly close.

## Why this matters (in kid-friendly terms)
Imagine two game bundles that look different in price. But then the store adds a “special entry ticket” fee that’s the same for both bundles. Suddenly, the final prices can become really similar. That’s what the article’s COE example is trying to help readers understand.

## Tracey’s takeaway
Tracey kept thinking about the comparison:
– EV: **S$210,200** (in the article’s example)
– ICE: **S$220,000** (in the article’s example)

Tracey said, “If the difference is small, then I should learn what I’m really paying for—and how choices in Singapore can depend on things like COE.”

## Picture idea (colourful!)
A bright, cartoon-style scene: Tracey in her dragon head gear and festival outfit, holding a calculator in one hand and pointing at two colourful price boards—one says “EV ≈ S$210,200” and the other says “ICE ≈ S$220,000”—with a big glowing “COE S$120,000” sign in the middle.