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Hong Kong watchdog logged 179 complaints over EVs, charging services in 2024

Consumer Council shares figure for 2024 after noting rise in recent complaints focusing on charging services, such as unclear fee instructions

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The government has promoted the purchase of e-vehicles through tax concessions and subsidies. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong’s Consumer Council received 179 complaints concerning electric vehicles (EVs) and charging services last year, with the watchdog noting more recent cases ranged from unclear fee instructions when owners topped up their cars to insufficient spaces at facilities.

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The council said on Wednesday that it had received an increasing number of complaints about charging stations in particular, noting demand for the services had grown in the city due to tax concessions and government subsidies.

One of the complainants said he had spent HK$125 (US$16) to park his car overnight for nearly 12 hours, only to find his vehicle was not fully charged, while a woman reported being required to pay a HK$150 “idle fee” without prior notification.

The watchdog said it logged 179 complaints related to EVs and charging services in 2024, up from the 122 recorded in 2023. But last year’s figure marked a dip from the 207 complaints made in 2022.

The council did not provide a further breakdown of the figures in terms of charging service-related complaints.

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According to the Environmental Protection Department, there were about 10,400 public EV charging points across the city as of December.

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