Staff Reporter. SCMP – Mar 21, 2009
About HK$112 million will be spent to replace 401 government vehicles, or 6 per cent of the government vehicle fleet, in the next financial year, according to the Government Logistics Department.
The department said all 401 replacements would comply with the relevant emission standards.
About 160 cars and three buses will meet the Environmental Protection Department’s qualifying standards for tax incentives for environmentally friendly vehicles.
In a written reply to questions by legislators on expenditure estimates, the department said the replacement vehicles included 160 cars, 79 motorcycles, 70 vans, and some buses, four-wheel drives and trucks.
The department justified the spending by saying that it would not be cost-effective to maintain the existing vehicles, even though 355 of them could still be operated.
It also said the government would give priority to environmentally friendly vehicles when buying new vehicles and would also consider buying more electric vehicles when suitable models became available on the market.
At present, 612 of the government’s 6,303 vehicles are environmentally friendly.
They include 371 cars, 229 liquefied petroleum gas light buses and 12 electric scooters.
The government has placed orders for 230 environmentally friendly vehicles which are expected to be delivered this year and next.