By KHT Staff
PINGTUNG — Pingtung County has launched a new fleet of electric buses, replacing diesel vehicles on nine major routes serving Hengchun, Kenting, and other high-traffic destinations in Taiwan’s southernmost county.
The rollout, which began on Wednesday, includes 10 newly introduced electric buses aimed at cutting emissions while improving transportation for tourists, students, and daily commuters.
The county government secured approximately NT$7.5 million in central government subsidies to support the transition, easing costs for local bus operators as they shift away from diesel-powered fleets. Officials said the change will significantly reduce both carbon emissions and noise levels in popular tourism areas.
Each electric bus costs about NT$10 million to manufacture and is expected to log more than 500,000 kilometers annually. According to operators, the new fleet could reduce carbon emissions by roughly 259 metric tons per year, an impact they likened to planting around 20,000 trees.
Taiwan has set a nationwide target for all city buses to be electric by 2030. With this expansion, Pingtung joins a growing number of local governments extending that transition beyond major urban centers and into regional and tourism-focused routes.
