Gwangju City to Provide Subsidies for 116 Electric Two-Wheeled Vehicles in the Second Half of the Year

1. Subsidies Range from 1.4 Million to 3 Million Won by Vehicle Type... Applications Accepted Until December 3
2. Additional 20% Local Government Support for Small Business Owners, People with Disabilities, and Farmers

Gwangju City Hall exterior view.

On July 1, Gwangju City announced that it will implement a subsidy program for the purchase of electric two-wheeled vehicles in the second half of this year to reduce air pollutants and promote the adoption of eco-friendly transportation.

The city will allocate a total of 210 million won to provide subsidies for 116 electric two-wheeled vehicles. To improve accessibility and expand demand among citizens, the residency requirement for applicants has been relaxed from the previous 90 days to 30 days.

In particular, for vulnerable groups such as small business owners, people with disabilities, low-income households, and farmers, the city will provide an additional 20% of local government funding on top of the existing national subsidy. Furthermore, those who scrap their existing internal combustion engine two-wheeled vehicles and switch to electric models can receive up to an additional 300,000 won in support.

The subsidy is matched equally between national and local government funds and varies by vehicle type and performance, with a maximum of 1.4 million won for light models, 2.3 million won for small models, 2.7 million won for medium models, and 3 million won for large models.

For purchases intended for delivery purposes, an additional 10% of the combined national and local subsidy can be received. However, the additional support for vulnerable groups and for delivery use cannot be applied simultaneously.

Eligible applicants are citizens who have resided in Gwangju for at least 30 days and hold a moped or Class 2 small motorcycle license. Corporations and organizations with business locations in Gwangju are also eligible to apply. Individuals may receive support for one vehicle, individual business owners for up to five vehicles, and corporations and organizations may receive support without limit within the budget, provided they submit a business plan and a letter of commitment.

Applications can be submitted through the Ministry of Environment's Zero Emission Vehicle Subsidy Support System until December 3, or until the budget is exhausted. After signing a contract with the manufacturer or importer, buyers must take delivery and register the vehicle within two months from the date of qualification, and must apply through the subsidy support system. Vehicles that receive subsidies must be operated for eight years, and violations may result in the recovery of the subsidy.

To further promote the adoption of electric two-wheeled vehicles, the city plans to install 17 additional KS-standard battery-swapping charging stations by September. This is expected to drastically reduce charging times from over three hours to under one minute.

Na Byungchun, Director of Climate and Air Policy, stated, "The adoption of electric two-wheeled vehicles is highly effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and noise," and added, "We hope for active participation from citizens to help spread eco-friendly vehicles."