Collaboration among local and foreign electric vehicle (EV) players has led to the success of the EV industry in the Philippines.
Every year the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (Evap) organizes the Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit in a bid to attract more foreign EV players.
“Their meetings with Evap members have resulted in joint venture partnerships and, subsequently, transfer of technology. As a result, many EV companies from the US, Japan, Taiwan and Korea have set up shops in the Philippines with the goal of making the country a manufacturing hub in the region,” Evap President Rommel Juan said.
EVAP members consist of manufacturers, assemblers, suppliers, importers, dealers, fleet operators and battery-makers. They offer a complete package of EV transport solutions that include electric vehicles, battery-swapping arrangements, charging stations, after-sales services, fleet management and spare- parts support.
Juan urged all members to provide a complete EV transport solution to clients. He said there are many EV projects that have been introduced in the cities of Makati, Muntinlupa, Quezon, Antipolo and Naga.
“Evap members and ETrike [electric tricycle] makers Kea Industrial, Phil Etro, Bemac and EV Wealth, have made ETrikes available in the local market with a price range of P260,000 to P425,000 per unit. They have sold about 200 units already.
“For the four-wheeled EJeepneys, local manufacturers such as PhUV and Mytron have units with prices ranging from P850,000 to P1.5 million, depending on the seating capacity, power train configuration and battery system,” Juan said.
“PhUV, in particular, the pioneer EV maker in the country, is pinning its hopes on the upcoming Jeepney Modernization Program of the government, which aims to replace regular jeepneys with alternative fuel vehicles such as the EJeepney,” Juan said.