AboitizPower to turn DU fleet to EV

Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) has unveiled its corporate electric vehicle (EV) fleet transformation program.

The firm said that its presentation of new plug-in EV models showcases its support to Republic Act 11697 (commonly known as Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act [EVIDA>) and contribution towards sustainable mobility in the country.

“As a leader in the energy industry, we want to incorporate innovations that will improve the efficiency and sustainability of our operations. The world is facing developments in climate change, global connectivity, population growth, urbanization, and digitalization, and these changes demand that businesses like ours transform to remain relevant,” AboitizPower President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Manny Rubio said.

He emphasized that the mobility sector has always had a history of being the highest energy-consuming sector in the country — accounting to 31.3 percent of total final energy consumption with over 11 million tons of oil equivalent — and is a major contributor to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

“With an ever-growing demand for powered mobility, we recognize that deeper electrification of mobility is a key enabler in achieving a cleaner and more sustainable world energy system. After all, a broad range of mobility applications can be powered with electricity from cleaner or zero-emission sources,” he noted.

The AboitizPower’s EV fleet — manufactured by Build Your Dreams’ (BYD) — will be deployed to its distribution utilities (DU) namely Visayan Electric, Davao Light, and Cotabato Light.

For his part, AboitizPower Distribution Utilities Chief Operating Officer Anton Percides bared that the company is aiming to achieve 30-percent electrification for its four-wheeled vehicles and motorbikes by 2030 and reach 100 percent by 2040.

“Bound to be deployed in the franchise areas we serve in Visayas and Mindanao, with land areas more than six times the size of Metro Manila, these vehicles are geared to prove their efficiency and reliability in this new age of electric mobility,” he said.

Aside from reduction of emissions, Percides noted that the EV fleet program will help them enjoy improved energy efficiency and transportation economics as the cost per kilometer traveled of the unit is at least half compared to internal combustion engine vehicles.

“Electrifying our fleet will help us further reduce carbon emissions, lower operating costs, and contribute to cleaner air in the cities where we operate. This way, we are also helping empower the evolution of the cities we serve,” Percides said.

The company also claimed that such move bolsters its growth strategy of adding 3,700 megawatts of renewable energy in its generation portfolio in the next 10 years — complementing the country’s aspiration to cut down its reliance on the importation of fossil fuels for transportation and electricity generation.

Further, AboitizPower claimed that together with its partners, it currently has the largest and most diversified renewable energy platform in the Philippines in terms of installed capacity under its operational control. Currently, close to 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy projects — including wind and solar farms and more geothermal capacities — are in the pipeline.

Photos from AboitizPower

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