LCQ9: Promoting popularisation of electric vehicles

     Following is a question by the Hon Dennis Kwok and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, in the Legislative Council today (May 29):

Question:

     On promoting the popularisation of electric vehicles (EVs), will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of (i) parking spaces and (ii) standard, medium and quick chargers for EVs (chargers), at each of the car parks managed by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) and the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS);

(2) whether the HA and the HKHS have plans to (i) install more chargers and (ii) replace all the existing standard chargers with medium or quick chargers, at their car parks; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) whether it knows the respective numbers of (i) parking spaces and (ii) standard, medium and quick chargers, at each of the car parks managed by the Hospital Authority, the Urban Renewal Authority, the Airport Authority Hong Kong, the MTR Corporation Limited, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited;
 
(4) whether it will issue guidelines or provide subsidies to the organisations mentioned in (3) to encourage them to install more chargers at their car parks; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(5) whether it will incorporate provisions into the new leases of petrol filling station (PFS) sites or adopt other measures to make oil companies retrofit quick chargers at their PFSs; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(6) given that currently quite a number of car parks in aged private buildings, due to deficiency in power supply capacity and other infrastructure facilities, have difficulties in installing medium chargers, thus deterring vehicle owners from switching to the use of EVs, whether the Government will take the initiative to assist the owners' organisations of those buildings in overcoming the difficulties; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(7) of the details of the seminars/workshops on installation of charging facilities at private car parks organised in the past three years by the relevant government departments, including the (i) dates, (ii) venues, (iii) target participants and (iv) numbers of participants; whether the Government will set a target on the number of such activities to be held each year; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(8) whether it will carry out, in collaboration with the 18 District Councils, more promotional work relating to the popularisation of EVs; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     My reply to the question raised by the Hon Dennis Kwok is as follows:

(1) The respective figures on existing parking spaces and electric vehicle (EV) chargers at car parks in public housing estates and malls under the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) and the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) are tabulated at Annex I.

(2) To tie in with the Government's efforts to further promote the use of EVs, the HA will gradually add EV medium charging facilities to the existing car parks as required and when technically feasible. The number of chargers that the HKHS plans to add in 2020 is shown at Annex II.

(3) and (4) The respective figures on existing parking spaces and EV chargers at car parks under the Hospital Authority, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA), the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL), the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited are tabulated at Annex III.

     Since 2010, the Government has expounded to various bodies and organisations (including the Hospital Authority, URA, AA and MTRCL) its policy and measures on promoting EVs and has written to encourage them to install more EV charging facilities at their car parks. The Government has also issued guidelines on installation of EV charging facilities for reference by those organisations interested in installing such facilities at their car parks.

(5) Apart from the need to overcome fire and gas safety issues, the petrol filling stations (PFS) in Hong Kong are in general relatively small and the potential for adding quick chargers is not high. Vehicles waiting for charging will also affect nearby traffic, therefore PFS is not considered as suitable location. However, as a quick charger can provide 50 to 100 kilometres of driving range for electric private cars (e-PCs) in 15 to 30 minutes, we are looking for other suitable locations to set up public quick charging stations for e-PCs for trial. Should the trial of quick charging stations be successful, we will explore the feasibility of expanding the quick charging stations across the territory.
 
(6) In view of the constraints on installing charging facilities at car parks of existing private premises, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) established in 2011 a dedicated team and a hotline to provide information and technical support. Currently, the two power companies not only provide technical advice for EV owners but also render power connection services to these owners' residential parking spaces. The two power companies have also indicated to the Government that they would endeavour to accept requests for additional power load from existing private premises to meet the needs of EV charging. Moreover, in recent years several private companies have been providing EV owners, housing estates or business establishments with one-stop EV installation and charging services, including the installation of charging facilities at EV owners' parking spaces and the provision of charging services at other specified locations outside the housing estates where these owners reside. As far as we know, these companies have installed charging facilities in over 34 housing estates.
 
     The EPD will continue to step up its communication, publicity, educational efforts as well as technical assistance to be provided to building owners, property management companies and owners’ corporations with a view to facilitating their installation of EV charging facilities.

(7) and (8) By organising seminars and workshops, the EPD has appealed to owners' corporations and property managers for their support in installing EV charging facilities at their premises. Over the past three years, we held a total of four seminars/workshops on EV charging facilities to not only brief owners' corporations and property managers on the benefits of switching to EVs but also encourage the installation of EV charging facilities at car parks in existing private premises. The dates, venues, target participants and numbers of participants of these seminars/workshops are tabulated at Annex IV. The EPD is preparing to continue to run similar seminars/workshops in various districts in this year.

     Should any District Council be interested in hosting related publicity and educational activities, the EPD stands ready to collaborate with it to make promotional efforts.