Two districts to get first e-minibuses

Ayra Wang

The city will have the first batch of electric minibuses running in Kwun Tong and Kowloon Tong, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said yesterday.

This came after applications for a pilot scheme for electric public light buses opened on October 27, with green minibus operators able to apply for the first phase until next Friday. .

"The first trial points are Yue Man Square and Kowloon Tong (Suffolk Road) public transport interchanges, where charging facilities will be provided," Tse said in a written reply to Chan Hak-kan, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong's Legislative Council member.

Six suppliers took part in the scheme with prices of e-PLBs ranging from HK$1.38 million to HK$2.28 million.

Subsidies of 80 percent of vehicle cost will be offered. But the number of participating minibuses at each interchange cannot exceed 10 percent of an operator's fleet, or a maximum of two vehicles, whichever is higher.

The Environment and Ecology Bureau is expected to complete vetting and approval of applications by next month and start the trial in the first quarter.

Tse said the bureau is also looking for other suitable interchanges to conduct trials, including in Yuen Long north and a terminus in the eastern part of Hong Kong Island.

"We expect to invite tenders for installing charging facilities and providing charging services to e-PLBs in the first quarter," he added.

Subsidies will also be used to promote electric taxis and the aim is to have 3,000 of them by the end of 2027.

That follows last month's policy address announcement that HK$50 million will be earmarked to purchase wheelchair-accessible e-taxis..

The Lands Department received 11 applications from bus operators in the first half asking for land deed changes to allow other public transport vehicles to charge their batteries in depots.

A total of 65 electric franchized buses were registered at the end of August following the release of the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles in March 2021 whose aim is zero vehicular emissions before 2050.

Tse said a roadmap and timetable for citywide green transformation of public transport would be out in the first half.