HK To Have 155,000 EV Charging Points By 2025: Govt

The government says it expects there will be at least 155,500 charging points for electric cars by 2025, and it could start turning petrol stations into charging sites to meet future needs.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Environment Secretary Wong Kam-sing outlined the government's "roadmap on popularisation of electric vehicles," as it aims to phase out the sale of petrol and diesel-run cars by 2035 at the latest and achieve carbon neutrality before 2050.

"There are many challenges, I have to admit. But the intention is clear. We want to the city to be carbon neutral," said Wong.

The roadmap doesn't have a target on how many charging points the city should have by 2035. But officials estimated that by 2025, there will be at least 150,000 private charging facilities at commercial or residential parking spaces across the city.

Another 5,000 will be available in public car parks, the government said, adding that it will introduce fees for users from 2025.

The Deputy Director of Environmental Protection Owin Fung said the administration will find sites for quick charging stations, possibly by converting existing petrol and LPG filling stations.

He said he expects such conversions could begin in five years' time at the earliest.

"It's very critical for the whole community to be very well prepared for electric vehicles in the future. We have to do a lot of work in order to meet the demand," Fung said.

Officials will also examine introducing a new requirement that parking spaces at new private buildings be equipped with charging infrastructure.

Tens of millions of dollars will be spent on trials for electric buses, both single-decker and double deckers, as well as e-mini buses, officials said, but there isn't a timetable as to when commercial vehicles will have to be electric.

Mark Webb-Johnson of Charged Hong Kong, a local EV advocacy group, said while he believes the policies set out by the government are conducive to encouraging private car owners to switch to electric vehicles, officials need to do more to help public transport operators make the transition.

"On the private car front it seems to be we have got the way forward … Historically public transport is harder to tackle. But we feel that the government is not doing enough. For example on buses, most buses in Hong Kong are double-deckers, so we should focus on double-decker buses. But there’s no solution, there’s nothing we can do,” Webb-Johnson said.