FLEET OF 200 E-TAXIS SET TO HIT ROADS BY MARCH
Industry group signs deal with mainland vehicle maker BYD as part of a government-backed drive to introduce 3,000 electric cabs by 2027
A 200-strong fleet of electric taxis is set to hit the roads by March after an industry body signed a deal with the world’s biggest e-vehicle maker as part of a government-backed drive to introduce 3,000 such cabs in less than four years.
Hong Kong Tele-call Taxi Association chairman Wong Yu-ting, who signed the deal with Shenzhen-based BYD yesterday, said the manufacturer was chosen because of the car model’s suitability for the city and the company’s more than a decade of experience of cab production.
“We’ll also consider other brands,” he said. “It will depend on the suitability and price. We’re looking to have 3,000 or more electric taxis – the best case scenario will be having multiple makers.”
Wong said the BYD vehicles stood out because of their size and because their boots could fit four large suitcases and two small ones – a capacity previously unavailable in Hong Kong.
The city only had five electric-powered taxis, not counting hybrid models, in April. The figure represents less than 1 per cent of the taxi fleet. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu in his October policy address pledged to bring in 3,000 electric cabs before the end of 2027.
Lawmaker Frankie Yick Chiming, who represents the transport sector, said the deal was an industry milestone and that it was a good time for taxis to go electric.
“More than 3,000 of the 18,163 taxis in Hong Kong are now more than 10 years old,” he said. “We could encourage these cab drivers to make the switch.”
He also appealed to the government to offer one-off subsidies to promote the switch to electric, in line with a past effort to convince taxi drivers to change from diesel-powered cars to ones running on liquefied petroleum gas.
Wong said authorities should set up a cross-departmental panel to help speed up the installation of charging stations, as a shortage remained the main hurdle for the switch to electric. He expected more charging stations in the New Territories first, but it was difficult to install them in urban areas of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon because of the lack of space.
He also said the time required to have an electric vehicle fully charged, which could be 30 minutes to an hour, was also a barrier, since the long waiting time compared with the few minutes it took to fill the fuel tank of a conventional vehicle could cause congestion.
He also slammed the government for its lacklustre promotion of electric vehicles, adding that he had at first expected Hong Kong to field 1,000 e-cabs by this year.
“In June last year, they said they would set up three taxi-only charging stations,” Wong said. “Where are they now?”
The government has earlier pledged to become carbon neutral by 2050, with a target of phasing out the sale of petrol-powered cars by 2035.