Hong Kong's First All-Electric Taxi Hits the Streets
Hong Kong’s first all-electric taxi fleet hits the streets, with the introduction of specially designed cabs operating on a six-month trial period.
A handful of Hong Kong’s iconic red cabs are getting a new look, as Mainland company BYD rolls out 45 electric sedans with some flashy specs. According to BYD manufacturers, the "zero-tailpipe-emission" e6 sedans charge in two hours, and are designed to travel a distance of 300km (average 250km) between refueling.
Hong Kong Taxi and Public Light Bus Association will rent the 45 e-taxis from BYD for a monthly charge of $360,000, and sublet them to drivers. The daily rent for this new taxi is around $100 more than that of a brand new liquefied petroleum taxi, but the idea is that drivers will save on gas. According to BYD, the cost of electricity should work out to a third of what it costs to refuel the current LPG-powered taxi.
But as these shiny new wheels take to the streets for their six-month test drive, they have been met with mixed reviews from cab drivers. Cabbies have expressed concerns about the design—lack of space, roof positioning, small boot—as well as potential blind spots and the charging time. The 250km range may be enough for a typical shift, but the car would still need to be recharged several times a day.
Which leads to the biggest problem—a shortage of charging stations in Hong Kong. Presently, the sedans can only be recharged at custom BYD stations. Though Hong Kong has more than 1,000 slow-charging points and ten quick-charging points, none of these are compatible with BYD vehicles. During the first phase of deployment, however, BYD aims to add 47 chargers in nine locations throughout Hong Kong.
Cab drivers are not the only ones who are hesitant to embrace the technology. The high cost—roughly $467,000 per vehicle—has contributed to slower than expected sales among private consumers. Even so, BYD still expects the number of e6 taxis in Hong Kong to increase to 5,000 in three years. Many of the city’s 18,000 taxis are due to be replaced in the next few years, with various companies rolling out new models in an attempt to capture the market.
