Hong Kong subsidies for e-buses, e-taxis to ensure costs not passed on to public

Government subsidies will ensure Hong Kong bus operators do not pass on the costs of switching to electric vehicles (EVs) to passengers, the city’s environment minister has said.

The government push will include offering more than HK$600 million (US$77.2 million) in subsidies to operators buying such vehicles, and will launch later this month.

Tse on Tuesday said authorities would help operators procure 600 e-buses and 3,000 e-taxis.

Each single- and double-decker bus will come with a subsidy of HK$400,000 (US$51,440) and HK$800,000 respectively, or 25 per cent of the capital cost, depending on whichever is lower.

“Although the price of electric buses has significantly dropped, they still cost over a million dollars more than diesel buses,” Tse told a radio programme on Wednesday.