In order to promote fuel-efficient and eco-friendly CNG hybrid buses, the city government plans to provide priority to receive subsidies for the operators upon purchasing CNG hybrid buses and other incentives. (image: Wikimedia Commmons)
SEOUL, Korea, April 8 (Korea Bizwire) – The Seoul city government has proudly announced that the replacement of 8,750 city buses in total from existing diesel buses to clean natural gas-fueled buses would be completed upon replacing 13 more this year.
Since the project to replace diesel buses with CNG buses which is expected to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by two thirds started in 2002, as many has 10,376 vehicles including city buses, town buses, garbage trucks, and tourist buses have been replaced with natural gas models on a budget of 350 billion won(US$3.3 billion).
Natural gas vehicles do not discharge fine dust and emits only about one third of nitrogen oxide of diesel vehicles. Also, they are supposed to be more economical. Each CNG bus operation for up to 10 years can save 86 million won compared to the existing diesel buses.
In order to promote fuel-efficient and eco-friendly CNG hybrid buses, the city government plans to provide priority to receive subsidies for the operators upon purchasing CNG hybrid buses and other incentives.
(graphic:Kobizmedia/Korea Bizwire)
Compared to conventional CNG buses, CNG hybrid buses can reduce the fuel cost by 34.5 percent, and cut down the fuel cost by 108million won for nine years of operation. Carbon emissions are reduced by 30 percent. If 2,235 CNG busses currently in operation in Seoul were replaced with CNG hybrids, 240 billion won would be saved for nine years.
This year, the Seoul city government plans to supply 260 more vehicles including city buses, town buses and garbage trucks. The beneficiaries of the local government subsidy are the bus operators, charter bus operators, local governments and some selected sanitation contractors located in Seoul.
Seoul city government’s Eco-friendly Transportation manager, Kang Hui-eun said, “CNG buses have contributed to improving the air quality in Seoul.” According to Ms. Kang, the Seoul government will continue to promote and provide eco-friendly vehicles.
Written by Robin Koo (linguistkoo@koreabizwire.com)
Energy & Green (Follow us @Energynews_Korea)
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