More EV chargers at carparks in govt’s green push
Updated: 2019-10-16 08:11
By Gu Mengyan in Hong Kong(HK Edition)
Electric-vehicle chargers will be installed in about a quarter of parking spaces in Hong Kong’s private estates by 2022 when a government-led pilot subsidy scheme is completed.
The scheme, announced by Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing on Tuesday, is one of the measures the Hong Kong Administration Region Government will push forward in today’s (Wednesday) Policy Address by the Chief Executive.
According to Wong, HK$2 billion ($255 million) will be appropriated in the next three years to install EV chargers at about 60,000 parking spaces in existing private residential buildings.
The estimated number of parking spaces includes parking slots that have already been equipped with chargers in new estates, which particularly refer to those built under gross floor area concessions since 2011.
As part of the government’s efforts to cut emissions by encouraging green transportation, the scheme will make an official debut by Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.
The EV charging application has been welcomed by relevant stakeholders, said Wong, hoping that the scheme can defuse residents’ worries about financial burdens after the details are released once discussions with developers are completed.
“The scheme will also help owners charge their EVs at home, especially at night, to optimize the use of electricity during non-peak hours,” Wong said.
Fung Ho-yin, deputy director of the Environmental Protection Department, said the program will cover some 4,000 eligible parking lots across the city.
The government had announced earlier this year it plans to set aside HK$120 million to increase the number of EV chargers at government carparks to 1,700 in the next three years.
Various measures have been implemented in the past decade to encourage car owners to switch to electric vehicles, including tax concessions, a vehicle replacement scheme, expansion of the public charging network and a hotline to provide information and technical support.
jefferygu@chinadailyhk.com
(HK Edition 10/16/2019 page4)