Singapore petrol usage set to hit record despite fewer vehicles

Singapore is set to consume a record 6,453,600 barrels of petrol this year, according to oil industry data. - The Straits Times/Asia News Network

SINGAPORE: Despite a shrinking vehicle population, Singapore's petrol consumption is rising — a phenomenon that experts attribute to the proliferation of private-hire cars.

According to oil industry data, Singapore is set to consume a record 6,453,600 barrels of petrol this year. This is 3% more than last year, and 5.6% more than in 2013, the year private-hire operators Uber and Grab entered Singapore. One barrel is around 159 litres.