Hong Kong's Environmental Protection Department announced the approval of 13 applications for funding support on the trial of green and innovative transport technologies under the Pilot Green Transport Fund.

The government set up the HKD300 million Fund to encourage the public transport sector to test out green and low-carbon transport technologies. The Fund has been open since March 30, 2011. A transport operator may apply to the Fund to try out different green products subject to a maximum subsidy of HKD9 million for each application and HKD12 million in total.

The approved applications cover the trial of 16 electric buses and nine electric goods vehicles, amounting to a total subsidy of almost HKD50 million. The applications came from Billion More Limited, Chi Shing Transportation Company, Federal Express (Hong Kong) Limited, Good Funds Services Limited, International Trademart Company Limited, Kwoon Chung Motors Company Limited, Tai Fung Coach Company Limited, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, TNT Express Worldwide (Hong Kong) Limited, Trade Travel (Hong Kong) Limited, Trans-Island Limousine Service Limited,

The electric goods vehicles for trial include eight van-type electric light goods vehicles and one electric medium goods vehicle, with gross weights ranging from 1.8 tons to 10 tons. They will be used for courier services and goods and materials transportation. The electric buses will be used to provide non-franchised bus services including hotel and resident shuttles and employee and on-campus transportation. Their routes cover extensive areas and different operating and road conditions, including services covering long distances, busy urban areas and steep roads, which can test the performance of electric buses under different operational environments.