BMW i5 eDrive40 vs Lexus RX 350h Executive: 5-year cost to own (Singapore)
Over 5 years in Singapore (17,500 km/yr), as of August 6, 2026, the BMW i5 eDrive40 is cheaper — about S$230,754 over 5 years vs S$279,434 for the Lexus RX 350h Executive, a S$48,680 difference. In Singapore the EV usually wins on running cost (cheap electricity vs S$3.42/L petrol) while COE dominates both cars — we say so plainly.
COE is set by a biweekly auction and swings thousands of dollars — every figure here uses the S$124,790 (Cat A) / S$126,236 (Cat B) COE assumption. Confirm the current COE before you commit; it is the single biggest line in the price. Source: LTA registration-cost sheet, 2026-08-06.
EV Early Adoption Incentive: the EEAI (45% off ARF, capped S$7,500) is baked into the EV figures for 2026 registrations — and it sunsets 31 Dec 2026. Register a BEV from 2027 and it costs more. Source: LTA.
Cheaper to own over 5 years · SingaporeBMW i5 eDrive40 · S$230,754 total · S$48,680 less than the Lexus RX 350h Executive
BMW i5 eDrive40 vs Lexus RX 350h Executive — where the money goes
| Cost component | Electric · BMW i5 eDrive40 | Hybrid · Lexus RX 350h Executive |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | S$156,405 (68%) | S$198,500 (71%) |
| Charging / fuel | S$5,410 (2%) | S$19,152 (7%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 10% (~S$541) | — |
| Maintenance | S$3,500 (2%) | S$4,813 (2%) |
| Insurance | S$10,000 (4%) | S$8,500 (3%) |
| Financing interest | S$38,449 (17%) | S$39,553 (14%) |
| Registration & fees | S$16,990 (7%) | S$8,917 (3%) |
| Total cost of ownership | S$230,754 | S$279,434 |
Electricity vs petrol — and why COE still rules
On running cost the BMW i5 eDrive40 is far cheaper — about S$5,410 of electricity over 5 years vs S$19,152 of petrol for the Lexus RX 350h Executive (S$3.42/L is dear). But COE + ARF dominate both cars — around S$237,097 on the EV and S$234,251 on the petrol car — so the 5-year winner is decided mostly by price with COE and how much you recover at de-registration.
Where the money really goes — COE + ARF dwarf the fuel
The registered price with COE for the BMW i5 eDrive40 is S$444,888. COE + ARF alone are S$237,097 of that — many multiples of the electricity or petrol you'll ever buy. That is the honest story of Singapore car cost.
- COE (quota licence)
- S$126,236biweekly auction · dominates the price
- ARF (net of VES / EEAI)
- S$110,861gross S$140,861 − VES rebate S$22,500 − EEAI S$7,500
- OMV (open-market value)
- S$81,519declared import value
- Excise (20%) + GST (9%)
- S$25,108on OMV
- Registration fee
- S$350LTA flat
- Dealer margin
- S$100,814backed out of the retail price
- Registered price (with COE)
- S$444,888what you pay to put it on the road
- Recovered at de-registration (yr 5)
- S$288,483unused COE S$63,118 + PARF S$30,000 + residual value S$195,365
How depreciation works here: it is the registered "price with COE" minus what you get back at de-registration — the unused COE (rebatable over the 10-year licence), the PARF rebate (a capped % of ARF paid), and the car's remaining market value. Where a published Singapore depreciation figure exists (PaperValue / sgCarMart), we use it — the straight-line S$/yr buyers actually quote. That is why the S$100k+ upfront, not electricity or petrol, dominates the 5-year total. What you'd get back at deregistration (official PARF + COE rebate) →
BMW i5 eDrive40 vs Lexus RX 350h Executive, side by side
BMW i5 eDrive40
- 5-yr total cost
- S$230,754
- Cost / month
- S$3,846
- Cost / km
- S$2.64
- Price with COE
- S$444,888
- Powertrain
- Electric
- Efficiency
- 16.0 kWh/100km
Lexus RX 350h Executive
- 5-yr total cost
- S$279,434
- Cost / month
- S$4,657
- Cost / km
- S$3.19
- Price with COE
- S$456,800
- Powertrain
- Hybrid
- Efficiency
- 6.4 L/100km
- Singapore electricity
- 34.78c/kWh SP Group
- Singapore petrol (95)
- S$3.42/litre motorist.sg
- COE assumption (Cat A / B)
- S$124,790 / S$126,236 LTA