The Environment and Ecology Bureau today (March 31) announced its approval of the 38th batch of applications for the trials of green innovative transport technologies under the New Energy Transport Fund.
 
        The 21 newly approved applications (see Annex) are for the trials of one electric light bus, 15 electric taxis, seven electric light goods vehicles and eight electric single-deck buses, involving a total subsidy of about $25.3 million.
 
         The latest approval brings the total number of trials being pursued under the Fund to 304, with the total subsidy amount of about $257 million. As at end-February, a total of 147 approved trials under the Fund have been completed. Trial reports are uploaded onto the Fund's website.
 
         With the Government's policy to promote zero-emission vehicles, the Steering Committee of the Fund recommended to remove hybrid vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles from the list of products to be subsidised, so as to focus the resources on trials of new energy transport technologies with zero roadside emissions. Starting from today, the Secretariat will not accept trial applications related to hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicles. 
 
         Furthermore, to allow more operators to participate in the trial of green transport technologies, the Steering Committee recommended that applicants can only submit a new application for testing the same type of green transport technology six months after the completion of their previous trial.
 
         The Government has put in place the Fund since March 2011 to subsidise the testing and encourage wider use of green transport technologies for a variety of commercial transport tools including goods vehicles (including special purpose vehicles), taxis, light buses, buses, vessels, motorcycles, non-road vehicles (applicable to vehicle models approved by the Transport Department or the Airport Authority Hong Kong), or the aforesaid transport tools of charitable/non-profit making organisations providing services to their clients. The technologies to be subsidised include new energy vehicles or vessels, conversion of in-use conventional vehicles or vessels to new energy vehicles or vessels, and after-treatment emission reduction devices or fuel saving devices applicable to vehicles and vessels. Transport operators and charitable/non-profit making organisations may apply for trying out different green technology products subject to a maximum subsidy of $10 million for each application and a total of $12 million for each applicant.
 
          For more information on the Fund and the approved applications, please visit the website of the Fund (www.eeb.gov.hk/en/new-energy-transport-fund.html) or call the enquiry hotline on 2824 0022.

Ends/Friday, March 31, 2023
Issued at HKT 16:00

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