Nissan makes push for EVs

MANILA, Philippines — Nissan Philippines Inc. (NPI) is looking to strengthen its push for electric vehicles (EVs) this year through the launch of the next phase of its electrification plan.

NPI president and managing director Atsushi Najima announced the launch of the Blue Switch initiative in the country.

Blue Switch is the next phase of the company’s electrification plans built on the Nissan Ambition 2030 or the long term vision of becoming a sustainable firm that drives towards a cleaner, safer and more inclusive world.

Najima said the initiative is focused on building key partnerships that address social concerns with the use of EV technologies.

In Japan, the initiative started in 2018 and focused on partnering with government and private stakeholders to promote and encourage the use of EVs to address social concerns.

“This year, we want to highlight the transformative power of EV technology. To achieve this, we need to combine both innovation and collective action,” Najima said.

Last year, NPI introduced to the country the Nissan LEAF, the world’s first mass market EV.

Najima said NPI has been educating the Philippine market on practical applications of EV technologies and how it could help society in addressing concerns in the areas of tourism, environment and emergency response.

Through the EV’s vehicle-to-load technology, it allowed residents to charge their mobile devices and contact their loved ones using the electricity from its battery.

NPI also brought the Nissan LEAF in Boracay as part of its Safe Trips campaign being undertaken with the Department of Tourism, which seeks to promote ecotourism and to encourage sustainability through the use of more eco-friendly options such as EVs as a mode of transportation.