MANILA, Philippines - Electric vehicle (EV) maker Philippine Utility Vehicle Inc. (PhUV) plans to deploy 500 electric jeepneys in Metro Manila this year.
According to PhUV president Ferdinand Raquelsantos, as more jeepney operators and commuters have identified vehicle exhaust as the main source of air pollution in Metro Manila, there is a stronger clamor for cleaner and greener alternatives.
“We are, therefore, now seeing a rise in the application of e-jeepneys for mass transport. This is also in light of the implementation of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) of the 15-year old limit for PUJs (public utility jeepneys) to be allowed on the road,” he said.
The recent deliveries of e-jeepneys to major institutions such as Filinvest City and Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) also support PhUV’s target this year.
“Filinvest City in Alabang, which introduced its 360 Eco Loop project, utilizes some 20 of our e-jeepneys to service its numerous locators and their employees and customers in its sprawling business district. And just very recently, ADMU introduced four e-jeepney shuttles in their campus, coupled with its own charging station set up by Meralco. These developments have driven us to be very optimistic that this 2015, EV sales will finally fly,” PhUV sales manager John Marasigan said.
PhUV provides locally-assembled EVs to various government agencies, local government units, resorts and schools.
It is also the supplier of the Makati Green Route which serves three loops in Makati City.
“We are proud to say that the Makati e-jeepneys were the first e-jeepneys to receive the orange license plates issued by the Land Transportation Office for e-jeepneys. This is also the very first mass transport application of an e-jeepney and the first mass transport system to receive an LTFRB franchise,” Marasigan said.
For EVs to take-off here, Raquelsantos said PhUV backs the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines’ advocacy of pushing for various fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for the EV industry players through the passage into law in both legislative houses of the Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFV) Incentives Bills.
“We urge the Senate and Congress to immediately pass the AFV bills, so that the country and the environment will both benefit from them and take our domestic EV industry to the next level,” he said.
“We hope to see more local assembly of EVs that are done in partnership with foreign investors who will ultimately transfer modern EV technology to us,” he said further.
EVs are being pushed as such provide efficient and environment-friendly transport.
The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) is encouraging business partnerships and joint ventures between local and foreign firms as it looks to position the Philippines as a hub for EVs in the region.