31st March 2023 – (Hong Kong) Hong Kong’s Environment and Ecology Bureau has announced the approval of 21 new green transport technology trials under the New Energy Transport Fund, with a total subsidy of approximately $25.3 million. The trials will include one electric light bus, 15 electric taxis, seven electric light goods vehicles and eight electric single-deck buses. This latest approval brings the total number of trials under the Fund to 304, with a total subsidy of about $257 million.
With the aim to promote zero-emission vehicles, the Steering Committee of the Fund has recommended the removal of hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles from the list of products eligible for subsidy. This move will allow the Fund to focus on trials of new energy transport technologies with zero roadside emissions. The Secretariat will not accept trial applications related to hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicles from today onwards.
Furthermore, to allow more operators to participate in the trial of green transport technologies, the Steering Committee has recommended new guidelines for applicants. From now on, applicants can only submit a new application for testing the same type of green transport technology six months after the completion of their previous trial.
The Government of Hong Kong established the New Energy Transport Fund in March 2011 with the aim of subsidising and encouraging the wider use of green transport technologies for commercial transport tools such as goods vehicles, taxis, light buses, buses, vessels, motorcycles, non-road vehicles, or the aforesaid transport tools of charitable/non-profit making organisations providing services to their clients.
The technologies eligible for subsidy include new energy vehicles or vessels, conversion of in-use conventional vehicles or vessels to new energy vehicles or vessels, and after-treatment emission reduction devices or fuel-saving devices applicable to vehicles and vessels. Transport operators and charitable/non-profit making organisations may apply for trying out different green technology products, subject to a maximum subsidy of $10 million for each application and a total of $12 million for each applicant.
As of the end of February, a total of 147 approved trials under the Fund have been completed, and their reports have been uploaded onto the Fund’s website. The trials will continue to be pursued under the Fund, with the government’s policy to promote zero-emission vehicles.
For more information on the Fund and the approved applications, interested parties can visit the website of the Fund or call the enquiry hotline. The Fund’s website provides detailed information on the application process, eligibility criteria, and guidelines for the testing of green transport technologies.
The approval of 21 new green transport technology trials under the New Energy Transport Fund with a subsidy of about $25.3 million is a significant step towards promoting zero-emission vehicles in Hong Kong. The Fund’s emphasis on new energy transport technologies with zero roadside emissions and its guidelines for applicants will ensure that the trials are conducted efficiently and effectively. The completion of previous trials and the uploading of their reports on the Fund’s website will provide valuable insights into the feasibility and effectiveness of these green technologies, paving the way for their wider use in the future.