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The Steering Committee of the Pilot Green Transport Fund today (January 31) rode on electric and hybrid goods vehicles and visited an electric charging facility in Wan Chai. The vehicles and the charging facility have been subsidised by the Pilot Green Transport Fund (the Fund), which was established for the trial of green transport technologies.
"The rides enabled the members of the Steering Committee to gain first-hand experience of the characteristics and performance of different electric and hybrid goods vehicle models, and this experience will help them in evaluating applications involving similar vehicles in future," a spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department said.
The vehicles comprised three different models, namely Smith Edison and Micro-Vett Doblo electric van-type light goods vehicles, and a Mitsubishi Fuso hybrid goods vehicle.
At present, four electric goods vehicles and eight hybrid goods vehicles approved by the Fund are on trial by transport operators to test their performance under local operating conditions. More hybrid goods vehicles will begin trials in February. The trial findings will be used for reference by the transport trade and the public.
The Government set up the $300 million Fund in March 2011 to encourage the public transport sector to test green transport technologies. The Fund is open for applications from public transport operators, charitable and non-profit organisations providing services to their clients, and goods vehicle owners. The technologies for trial include new vehicle types, equipment and machinery related to transport activities. A transport operator may apply to the Fund to try out different green products subject to a maximum subsidy of $9 million for each application and $12 million in total.
For more information on the Fund and the approved applications, please visit the EPD website (www.epd.gov.hk) or call the enquiry hotline on 2824 0022.
Ends/Thursday, January 31, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:47
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