A memorandum of understanding was signed yesterday between Permanent Secretary for the Environment Anissa Wong Sean-yee, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and Hong Kong distributor Universal Cars.

Mitsubishi's iMiEV electric vehicle will begin tests in the territory in May. It is already undergoing trials in Japan.

Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau Tang-wah said electric cars will help improve roadside air quality. Hong Kong Automobile Association vice-president James Kong Yat-hung said electric cars could cost roughly HK$300,000, double the cost of gasoline-powered cars.

ADVERTISEMENT

He said more incentives are needed to make electric cars competitive with conventional cars, beyond waiving the first registration tax.

Phil Dawson, managing director of Hong Kong Custom Built Cars, said technology to ease the shift to electric cars is already here.

Each new generation of batteries doubled the performance of their predecessors, Dawson said. Lithium sulphide batteries are 40 percent the weight of lithium ion and have 200 percent more power and capacity, with a charging time of only 10 minutes.

CLP Power and Hongkong Electric said they are keen to support infrastructure needed for electric vehicles. The mainland's Chery electric car S18 is poised to be launched at the end of the year.