Macao’s latest push to replace petrol-powered motorcycles with electric models has drawn strong public interest, but industry figures say a lack of charging infrastructure threatens to stall progress, the Macau Daily Times reports.
This month, the Environmental Protection Bureau (known by its Portuguese initials DSPA) launched a new five-year phase of its subsidy programme, encouraging residents who switch to electric bikes – offering up to 8,800 patacas in financial support and fee exemptions per applicant.
Previous rounds saw electric motorcycle ownership rise from 2 percent to 40.7 percent. The 2022-23 phase saw 1,457 old motorcycles collected and 1,210 new electric models registered, the Times says.
The SAR currently has 630 charging points in 49 public car parks and eight battery-swap stations, serving more than 5,000 registered electric motorcycles. However, industry leaders have warned this is not enough.
[See more: Can Macao cut carbon emissions to almost zero by 2050?]
Ung Ka Fei of the Macau Professionals of Motorcycles Association has described the charging network as “inadequate in both quantity and distribution.”
Lei Chong Sam, president of the Macau Association of Environmental Electric Motorcycle Merchants, said that the “biggest problem with electric motorcycles right now is the limited number of charging stations.”
Flood risks and space constraints have reportedly prevented wider installation, while private parking areas largely lack charging facilities, the Times reports.
Repair services are also under strain, Ung and Lei noted – with few technicians trained for electric vehicles despite 179 registered models from nearly 50 brands now competing in the local market.
