Govt Making Preparations For E-taxi Trial Runs

Environment minister Wong Kam-sing said on Wednesday that the government is planning to install at least 10 quick chargers for electric taxis on Lantau and in Sai Kung this year as it prepares to introduce the vehicles to the city.

In a written response to a Legco question from Federation of Trade Unions lawmaker Bill Tang about the city's e-taxi development, Wong said the government is also looking for suitable locations, such as taxi stands, to set up more quick charge points for electric cabs.

Hong Kong does not have any operating electric taxis or dedicated charging facilities for electric cabs, the secretary noted, but the government will promote trials of various public and commercial electric vehicles including electric taxis, he said.

Wong said trials involving four electric taxis are expected to start by the middle of this year.

The trials will be partly sponsored by the government’s New Energy Transport Fund set up in 2011, under which various transport trades can receive a subsidy for buying new energy vehicles and installing their chargers.

Last year, the government unveiled a blueprint to popularise the use of electric vehicles in the city, which includes plans to conduct trials of electric commercial vehicles like buses, minibuses and taxis, and expand the city's charging network.

The government has said it aims to come up with more concrete plans for promoting the use of electric vehicles in around 2025 and achieve zero vehicular emissions before 2050.