'Measures in place to incentivise EV usage'

Transport secretary Mable Chan on Friday said even though the government is not extending its one-for-one replacement scheme, a number of support measures have been introduced to incentivise the use of electric vehicles (EVs). The concession arrangement, which promotes the adoption of EVs, is set to expire on March 31. At a press briefing, Chan explained that the decision to not extend the scheme was made because the market has matured, and that there are many EV options at various price points. "Apart from the tax incentive or the licensing fees measures, the Environment and Ecology Bureau has recently promulgated a blueprint within which they have mentioned a few key measures to strengthen the provision of infrastructure support, including charging facilities." Separately, Chan noted a working group focusing on the development of autonomous vehicles in Hong Kong will be established in March to promote large-scale development of driverless cars. And she pointed out that her department will also focus on airport expansion, low-altitude economy trials and green transformation for maritime services. Edited by Aaron Tam