The government is planning to reduce the commodity tax on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-powered hybrid cars to encourage consumers to buy the less-polluting vehicles, with the Executive Yuan passing a draft amendment yesterday as the first step to eventually legalizing the tax cut.
The draft, which calls for lowering the commodity tax on LPG hybrid vehicles for five years by NT$25,000 per vehicle, is expected to also encourage the local automobile industry to develop or import more environmentally friendly cars, officials said.
At present, none of the nation’s carmakers produces or imports hybrid cars, which in Taiwan are mostly modified by local carmakers from cars that use regular gasoline or diesel, officials said.
POLICY
Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) said that promoting high-efficiency and low-pollution vehicles is a major government policy, adding that the government’s aim is to decrease air pollution and achieve the target of reducing carbon emissions.
Wu said the Cabinet would like to complete legislative procedures as soon as possible.
The Ministry of Finance and the Environment Protection Administration (EPA) will coordinate with lawmakers on the matter.
The commodity tax reduction for hybrid cars is expected to be launched next year, media reports said.
Under the current Commodity Tax Act (貨物稅條例), automobiles with engine displacement under 2000cc are taxed on an ad valorem basis at 25 percent of the factory price; while autos with more than 2,001cc are taxed at 30 percent.
The Finance Ministry estimated that the tax incentive would create demand for 5,200 hybrid cars, but that the government will receive NT$136.5 million (US$4.19 million) less in tax revenue in the five years time.
EPA data from Nov. 10, there are 21,050 hybrid cars in Taiwan.
EPA Minister Stephen Shen (沈世宏) said on Wednesday that he expected the number of LPG hybrid vehicles in Taiwan to reach 150,000 by 2012.
A modified LPG hybrid car can save 40 percent on fuel cost and reduce carbon emissions by at least 30 percent, Shen said.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
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