Hong Kong government’s subsidy scheme for installing electric vehicle charging facilities officially launches
- The government will shell out up to HK$15 million, or HK30,000 per parking space, to private residential buildings seeking to add charging facilities
- The scheme is part of the city’s effort to eventually phase out conventional fossil fuel vehicles in favour of zero-emission electric ones
The Hong Kong government’s HK$2 billion subsidy scheme to upgrade charging facilities for electric vehicles (EVs) at private residential buildings opened for applications last week, though official figures suggest the city’s adoption of green cars remains lacklustre.
In a written reply to the Legislative Council on Wednesday, Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing said the pilot scheme to subsidise the installation of parking spaces outfitted with chargers in private housing estates had started receiving applications on October 21.
The government also revealed sales figures for 12 electric vehicle makes available in Hong Kong, with Tesla, Hyundai, Nissan and Kia the top sellers.
From January to September this year, there were 2,909 electric private cars registered for the first time, of which US electric car maker Tesla accounted for 73 per cent, or 2,116. Hyundai followed with 264 such cars sold during the nine-month period, then Nissan with 180.
The pilot scheme, announced in last year’s policy address as a way to promote the use of zero-emission private cars, is expected to cover 60,000 parking spaces in private housing estates over the next three years.