The Ministry of Transportation and Communications yesterday said it plans to provide subsidies to scooter rental service operators on some outlying islands to purchase electric scooters and replace part of their gasoline-powered fleets.
The transportation ministry has budgeted a total of NT$90 million (US$2.9 million) — NT$60 million this year and NT$30 million next year — to help scooter rental service operators on outlying islands purchase electric scooters.
The funding, awaiting legislative approval, would be appropriated to enforce the Executive Yuan-approved project to create a transportation environment with low-carbon emissions and low energy consumption.
Photo: Taipei Times
Alongside purchasing electric scooters, the funding would be used to help install power charging ports for electric scooters, provide scooter maintenance and communicate with all stakeholders.
Department of Public Transportation and Supervision Director Lin Cheng-yen (林政彥) said that the ministry has begun to accept applications for the subsidies, adding that applications demonstrating policy highlights would get priority.
The ministry said that a-new electric scooter would receive a subsidy of NT$30,000 per vehicle, which would cover maintenance.
For purchase of electric scooters that are less than two years old, are registered, but not yet scrapped, and have traveled less than 3,500km, a subsidy of NT$5,000 per vehicle would be provided, it said.
The actual subsidy rate would be determined using the latest “Fiscal Capacity Classification Table for Municipalities and Counties” published by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, the ministry said.
Lin said that Taitung County and Pingtung County have already expressed interest, adding that applicants on Lambai Island (小琉球) of Pingtung County, and Green Island (綠島) and Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) of Taitung County can receive the full NT$30,000 subsidy per electric scooter.
The aim is to replace 3,000 gasoline-powered scooters, he said.
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