LCQ16: Promoting use of electric vehicles in government vehicle fleet
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Question:
The Government launched earlier the Updated Version of the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles (the Updated Roadmap) to accelerate the popularisation of electric vehicles (EVs) and green transformation. While the Updated Roadmap states that the Government will continue to promote the use of EVs in its vehicle fleet, there are views suggesting that the current proportion of EVs in the government vehicle fleet is relatively low, and that the specific progress and roadmap for this initiative are unclear. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether the current arrangement of setting EV as the standard for small and medium government private cars to be procured or replaced will be extended to the entire government vehicle fleet; whether there is a phased plan to replace all government vehicles with EVs; if so, of the details;
(2) of the current number of senior government officials who have switched their saloon cars to EVs; whether it will require that all saloon cars of Directors of Bureaux and Heads of Government Departments be prioritised for replacement with EVs in order to further expand the scope of the replacement; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) whether it has plans to allocate dedicated resources in future fiscal years, such as increasing the budget for vehicle purchases or charging infrastructure, to accelerate the pace of the transition to EVs; whether there will be a monitoring mechanism, and whether the relevant data and reports will be made public, such as the annual publication of the proportion of EVs in the government vehicle fleet, reductions in carbon emissions, and effectiveness assessments?
Reply:
President,
Having consulted the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Government Logistics Department (GLD), our reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Cho-kwong is as follows:
(1) The Government announced in February this year the Updated Version of the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles, reaffirming the ongoing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the government fleet. All new or replacement private cars procured by the Government must be EVs, except where operational requirements preclude the use of EVs. As electric vans are at a stage of large-scale application, the Government will explore the feasibility of making electric vans a mandatory requirement in future procurement. The Government will also regularly review whether other electric commercial vehicles can be included in the mandatory procurement scope.
In taking the lead in adopting EVs, the Government must ensure that resources are put to their best use and that public funds are used prudently. Therefore, the Government will not phase out existing vehicles prematurely before their normal replacement cycle. GLD will, in accordance with the Government's Circular Memorandum "Green Procurement in the Government", prioritise the procurement of EVs where practicable having regard to operational needs of bureaux and departments (B/Ds) and actual market conditions, including the development and supply of EVs. With the increasing market availability of EV makes and models in recent years, the number and proportion of EVs in the government fleet have risen gradually. Among the 219 private cars GLD ordered for B/Ds in 2025, about 98 per cent (i.e. 214 cars) were EVs.
(2) Senior officials have been progressively switching to EVs in accordance with the Government's Circular Memorandum "Green Procurement in the Government" when replacing their official cars. To achieve optimal use of resources and adhere to environmental principles to avoid wastage, the Government will not phase out existing vehicles ahead of schedule. Currently, 15 of the vehicles used by the 21 Secretaries of Departments, Deputy Secretaries of Departments and Directors of Bureaux are EVs, accounting for about 71 per cent of the vehicles.
(3) GLD conducts annual planning on the resources to be reserved for the procurement of General Purpose Vehicles (GPVs) for B/Ds in the following year. When determining the estimated expenditure for the procurement, GLD considers multiple factors, including operational needs of B/Ds, accumulated maintenance costs, conditions, age, mileage run, replacement costs of existing vehicles, availability of suitable models in the market, etc. The actual expenditure may vary depending on the number, types, and prices of new vehicles that suppliers can deliver in that year. In 2026-27, GLD expects to procure about 265 GPVs for B/Ds, with a total expenditure of around $100 million. Vehicle types include electric private cars, light buses, etc.
To encourage B/Ds to adopt EVs and meet their charging needs, currently GLD procures a medium charger for each new electric private car acquired. Moreover, to meet B/Ds' actual operational needs (e.g. long hours of outdoor operations), it could be difficult to schedule sufficient charging time for EVs at government car parks. Hence, the Government has also installed quick/fast chargers to support the operational needs.
As for data disclosure, GLD publishes annually the establishment information of government vehicles by fuel type (including the number of EVs) via the Open Data Portal (data.gov.hk) for public access.
Ends/Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Issued at HKT 11:22
Issued at HKT 11:22
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