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Press Release
Environment-friendly commercial vehicle scheme details announced
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (March 31) announced details of an incentive scheme for promoting the use of environment-friendly commercial vehicles.
Starting from tomorrow (April 1), buyers of newly registered commercial vehicles meeting the qualifying standard for environment-friendly commercial vehicles, which is set at Euro V level, will enjoy concessions for their first registration taxes (FRT).
The FRT concessions for different vehicle classes qualified under the scheme are -
(a) 100% waiver for taxis, light buses, non-franchised buses and special purpose vehicles;
(b) 50% waiver for goods vehicles (except van-type goods vehicles not exceeding 1.9 tonnes permitted gross vehicle weight); and
(c) 30% waiver for van-type goods vehicles not exceeding 1.9 tonnes permitted gross vehicle weight.
The first registration tax concession is subject to vehicle-class-specific caps per vehicle.
A spokesman for the EPD said that a wider use of environment-friendly commercial vehicles can help improve roadside air quality.
"As compared with vehicles complying with the prevailing statutory emission requirements, which are at Euro IV level, Euro V commercial vehicles weighing over 3.5 tonnes emit about 40% less nitrogen oxides (NOx). For smaller diesel vehicles, Euro V models emit about 80% less respirable suspended particulate and 30% less NOx," the spokesman said.
To help commercial vehicle buyers to choose environment-friendly models, the EPD will issue "Environment-friendly Commercial Vehicle Certificates" to commercial vehicles complying with the qualifying standards. A vehicle owner who applies with the Transport Department for first registration of his commercial vehicle which is issued with a valid "Environment-friendly Commercial Vehicle Certificate" will be entitled to the FRT reduction.
"Commercial vehicles without a valid 'Environment-friendly Commercial Vehicle Certificate' will not be eligible for the FRT reduction. Vehicle buyers should confirm with vehicle vendors the availability of the certificates when considering buying environment-friendly commercial vehicles," he said.
Vehicle owners who opt for environment-friendly commercial vehicles to replace their pre-Euro or Euro I diesel commercial vehicles under the one-off grant scheme introduced in April, 2007, will also be entitled to the FRT concession because of the additional environmental benefits of procuring more environment-friendly vehicles.
The EPD will annually review tightening the qualifying standard in the light of technological development to offer the incentive only to vehicles of truly outstanding emission performance outstripping the prevailing statutory requirements. If tightened, the new qualifying standards will be effective on April 1 each year and commercial vehicles meeting only the previous standards will lose their eligibility for the FRT reduction.
A list of environment-friendly commercial vehicle models on the local market and other details of the scheme are available on EPD's website -
Chinese version:
http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/tc_chi/environmentinhk/air/prob_solutions
/environment_friendly_commercial_vehicles.html
English version:
http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/air/prob_solutions
/environment_friendly_commercial_vehicles.html
The environment-friendly commercial vehicle scheme complements the environment-friendly petrol private car scheme introduced in April, 2007.
Ends/Monday, March 31, 2008
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