Electric Vehicle Maintenance Upgrades Foster Green Transport Development

In response to the Government’s active promotion of the popularisation of electric vehicles (EVs) in recent years, the EMSD has been continuously enhancing its facilities for EV maintenance to meet future service demand. The EMSD established Hong Kong’s first cross-brand EV (High Voltage) Workshop at the EMSD Headquarters (EMSD HQs) in Kowloon Bay, which officially commenced operations this April. The Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services (DEMS) officiated at the opening ceremony, marking a new era for the EMSD in the field of EV maintenance technology.

The EMSD is responsible for the maintenance of over 300 EVs. As fuel-propelled vehicles are gradually being replaced by EVs, the number of EVs in the government fleet is expected to double in the coming years. To address the growing demand for EV maintenance services, the EMSD has taken the lead in establishing an EV (High Voltage) Workshop, which is equipped with specialised equipment capable of handling high-voltage batteries and powertrain systems of EVs. Moreover, the EMSD is proactively training technicians to ensure that all maintenance work meets the highest safety standards.

EV maintenance workshops are categorised into three levels: elementary (EVE), low voltage (EVL) and high voltage (EVH). Among them, EVH maintenance involves inspecting, installing and dismantling high-voltage components such as traction batteries and inverters, demanding far stricter safety and technical requirements than those for general maintenance work. The EMSD’s EVH Workshop implements stringent safety measures, including setting up caution zones, protective barriers, battery lifting platforms and temporary storage areas for high-voltage batteries. Technicians are also required to obtain relevant professional qualifications.

At present, most EVH Workshops in Hong Kong can only service EVs of designated brands. Given that the government fleet covers multiple brands, the EMSD has established the city’s first cross-brand EV maintenance workshop at the EMSD HQs. Accredited by a third-party certification body, the workshop is capable of providing one-stop maintenance services for EVs of different brands.

Currently, about 80 EMSD technicians have successfully obtained EVH maintenance qualifications, accounting for approximately 40% of its vehicle maintenance technicians in total. The EMSD will arrange for its staff to receive training and obtain relevant qualifications in an orderly manner, based on operational needs, with the aim of equipping all vehicle mechanics with EVH qualifications.

The EMSD hopes that its EV maintenance workshop will not only provide comprehensive and reliable maintenance services for the government fleet, but also set an example for the local vehicle maintenance industry, jointly advancing the development of green transport. The EMSD will continue to uphold the principles of the third Plan of the EMSTF, providing customer-oriented innovative services and technical training, and propelling sustainable green applications to cope with business development.