Applications for Use (AU) 
The Steering Committee supported the Secretariat to include electric franchised buses (e-FBs) and electric taxis (e-taxis) in the AU and remove them from the subsidy scope of the AT. The information of the relevant schemes is as follows:
Electric Franchised Buses Subsidy Scheme
In order to speed up the green transformation of public buses, the Fund has launched under the AU the Electric Franchised Buses Subsidy Scheme to subsidise franchised bus operators to purchase e-FBs, with a view to assisting franchised bus operators in the gradual green transformation while accommodating their actual operational conditions. The Subsidy Scheme will cover franchised bus operators’ procurement of about 600 brand new single-deck and double-deck e-buses at $400,000 and $800,000 each respectively, or at 25% of their respective capital cost, whichever is the lower.
Electric Taxis Subsidy Scheme
To further promote the application of e-taxis, the Fund has launched under the AU the Electric Taxis Subsidy Scheme to subsidise the taxi owners to replace 3 000 old taxis with e-taxis. The subsidy level for each e-taxi is $45,000.
The Secretariat will issue invitation letters to the owners of the first 3 000 oldest taxis according to the “Date of First Registration” of the vehicles, except those fleet taxis committed to be owned by a taxi fleet operator (or one of its shareholders) for fulfilling the taxi fleet licence requirements under Transport Department. Taxi owners who procured e-taxis to replace the old taxis on or after 27 June 2024 (i.e. the date after the first occasion that the Government briefed the taxi trade about the Subsidy Scheme) will also be eligible for the subsidy if the first registration date of the de-registered / pending to be de-registered taxi fall within the 3 000 subsidy quotas.
The taxi owners who received the invitation letter shall reply within the specified timeframe whether to participate in the Subsidy Scheme, and follow the Subsidy Terms and Conditions in the reply slip to procure the e-taxis, submit the relevant documents and license the e-taxis.
If there are any remaining quotas, the Secretariat will invite other taxi owners to participate in the Subsidy Scheme according to the “Date of First Registration” of the vehicles. If the taxi owner does not participate in the Subsidy Scheme, the old taxi concerned will not be eligible for this Subsidy Scheme and any other Government subsidy schemes for e-taxis in the future (except for the subsidy scheme for wheelchair accessible e-taxis) even if the ownership of the old taxi concerned is later transferred to a third party.
The Fund has also earmarked $50 million to subsidise the trade to purchase wheelchair accessible e-taxis to cater for the travelling needs of the elderly people and persons with disabilities. When there are wheelchair accessible e-taxi models in the market, the Secretariat will formulate the subsidy framework and invite applications in due course.