Promote New Energy Transportation
140. The Government has all along been promoting the replacement of conventional fuel-propelled private cars (PCs) with electric vehicles (EVs). Last year, one out of eight new PCs is EV. In the past ten years, the number of EVs increased from 184 to over 18 500, with the total number of electric private cars (e-PCs) accounting for 2.7 per cent of the total number of PCs in Hong Kong. The "One-for-One Replacement" Scheme provides a higher first registration tax (FRT) concession for owners who buy a new e- PC and scrap their eligible old PC, subject to a cap of $250,000. Since its launch, 90 per cent of the owners of first registered e-PCs have benefited from the Scheme. The FRT concession for general e-PCs is $97,500.
141. The Government launched the $2 billion EV-charging at Home Subsidy Scheme in October last year. It is expected that about 60 000 parking spaces in existing private residential buildings will be provided with EV charging-enabling infrastructure under the scheme in three years. Since the introduction of the scheme, applications involving more than 50 000 parking spaces have been received.
142. Last year, the Government allocated an additional funding of $800 million to the New Energy Transport Fund and expanded its funding scope to cover additional types of electric commercial vehicles. As at end-2020, the amount of subsidy granted under the Fund was $154 million, covering nearly 200 projects on electric and hybrid commercial vehicles as well as conventional buses and ferries. Moreover, the Government earmarked $80 million for green public light bus (PLB) operators to embark on a pilot scheme on electric PLBs from 2023. Meanwhile, the Government also earmarked $350 million to provide subsidies for ferry operators to conduct trials on electric ferries serving in- harbour routes of the Victoria Harbour from 2023.
143. The Environment Bureau will announce next month Hong Kong's first roadmap on the popularisation of EVs, setting out long-term policy objectives and plans on the use of EVs and their associated supporting facilities. The key measures include ceasing the new registration of fuel-propelled PCs in 2035 or earlier, expanding the EV charging network and promoting its marketisation, training of EV technical and maintenance practitioners, and formulating a Producer Responsibility Scheme for retired EV batteries. The Government will also take the lead to use more EVs.
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