Mainland Chinese joint venture launches new electric taxi in Hong Kong
A mainland Chinese joint venture has launched an electric taxi in Hong Kong next month, but a lawmaker warned that the lack of quick charging stations remained the biggest challenge to the government’s target of introducing 3,000 such cabs by next year. SAIC-GM-Wuling, a joint venture between SAIC Motor, General Motors China and Guangxi Automobile Group, on Tuesday unveiled its Darion Taxi, a new…
A mainland Chinese joint venture unveiled its new electric taxi, the Darion Taxi, in Hong Kong next month. The six-seat e-taxi, produced by SAIC-GM-Wuling, combines the strengths of SAIC Motor, General Motors China, and Guangxi Automobile Group. The distributor in Hong Kong, DH Legend Motors, aims to deliver the new model within the next month.
The Darion Taxi boasts a 540km (336 mile) range and can be charged in just 30 minutes, making it well-suited for the demands of Hong Kong's busy streets. Wong Kin-man, the distributor's director and general manager, expressed confidence in the model's ability to deliver top-quality after-sales support and shorten repair waiting times, ensuring smooth taxi operations across the city.
The vehicle will come with a generous 500,000km warranty and is priced at approximately HK$300,000. DH Legend Motors plans to sell at least 300 units of the new electric taxi.
However, a lawmaker raised concerns over the lack of quick charging stations as a significant hurdle to achieving the government's ambitious goal of introducing 3,000 electric taxis by the end of 2027. Wong Po-keung, chairman of the Hong Kong Taxi Owners' Association, acknowledged the allure of the quick charging capacity, but pointed out that the model's real-world range could be closer to 400km, as factors such as traffic congestion and air conditioning use would come into play.
The Environment and Ecology Bureau currently reports that Hong Kong has 988 electric taxis, accounting for a small fraction of the city's total of around 18,000 cabs. The government's target of 3,000 electric taxis by 2027 has proven to be the biggest challenge, with lawmaker Mark Chong Ho-fung emphasizing the need for more quick charging facilities.
Chong specifically suggested setting up more fast chargers at popular tourist spots, airports, and Disneyland, adding that such facilities could also help alleviate traffic at gas stations currently used by petroleum- and gas-powered taxis.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
