Local EV adoption seen to be reaching an inflection point

The improvement of Manila’s overall air quality during the height of the pandemic became a trending topic as air pollution has been a perennial problem for one of the country’s most populated cities.

Since then, many Filipinos have been open to the idea of using transportation alternatives that could help mitigate climate change and air pollution.

In fact, the usage of electric vehicles (EV) in the Philippines appears to be approaching an inflection point with regulation, battery technology, vehicle prices, and sustainability goals seemingly converging.

The Philippine Senate passed the Electric Vehicles and Charging Stations Bill. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is also working on the passage of its version of the said bill.

An administrative order which consolidated guidelines on the classification, registration, and operation of electric vehicles, including e-jeeps and e-trikes, has been issued by the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

On the other hand, the passage of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (CREATE Act) has provided a pathway for the grant of fiscal incentives, encouraging those who would manufacture electric vehicles.

Furthermore, the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (eVAP) is currently holding its 9th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit to further promote the use of EVs in the country.

“The EV industry sees 2024 as the tipping point. We expect electric vehicles to reach price parity with conventional models by then,” said Meralco EV Product Manager Anthony T. Agoncillo, in a recent statement.

Filipinos have also realized other benefits of using EVs, particularly sustainability.

On an overall TCO basis, the savings from using electricity as a power source for vehicles can be as much as 70 percent compared to its conventional gasoline-powered counterparts.

Seeing EVs as an ecological and practical alternative drives us closer to the realization of a cleaner and sustainable transport solution.

Meralco, the country’s leading electricity provider, has always been keen on driving so-called “green mobility.” The company launched its Green Mobility program back in 2020. This initiative aims to gradually replace Meralco’s gas-fueled fleet vehicles with those that run on electricity.

According to the electric power distribution company, it plans to roll out 121 EVs this year, leading to six percent fleet electrification. Meralco aims to achieve 25 percent fleet electrification by 2030.

The company turned to its EV product manager to get electric vehicles — from electric tricycles to electric jeeps and electric shuttles — on the streets.

A couple of universities, local government units, industrial parks, and mall operators were among its early adopters.

With all these developments, achieving green mobility seems to be within reach.

Photos from Meralco

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9th PH EV Summit envisions the acceleration of electric vehicle adoption