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The Environment Bureau announced today (November 7) that it would conduct a three-month trial on a new model of hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, as part of Hong Kong's drive to encourage carmakers to focus on the Hong Kong market as they prepare new Electric Vehicle (EV) launches.
The new model, known as a hybrid plug-in, will be driven principally by electric power, with a gasoline engine as a secondary power source. The three-month trial will commence in January 2011. A number of Government departments will participate in testing the operational performance of the vehicle.
The Hong Kong trial of the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid forms part of a global testing scheme, under which the US, Europe, Japan and the Mainland markets are also involved. Data and operational experiences gathered by test-driving in different places will enable the product to better cater for the needs of specific markets.
"Hong Kong is glad to participate in the testing scheme of these new vehicles, which will serve to expand the fleet of environmentally friendly vehicles in Hong Kong," said the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, after a test-ride in the vehicle today.
"We are at the point where carmakers are gearing themselves up for the production of EVs. Hong Kong is working towards making our city an EV-friendly city. We will continue to keep our doors open to new clean vehicles. The new plug-in hybrid model will certainly add to the choice of green vehicles for consumers who care more about the environment," he said.
Ends/Sunday, November 7, 2010
Issued at HKT 19:37
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