Clark eyes more EV manufacturers

MANILA, Philippines — Clark Development Corp. (CDC) wants to attract more electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers to locate in the Clark Freeport Zone, its president and CEO Agnes Devanadera said.

“Right now we have one (EV manufacturing firm). It’s an American company. But we need more,” Devanadera told reporters in an interview

“We have available areas. EV manufacturers don’t require big areas. That’s why we want the manufacturing and the IT (information technology) because they only need small areas,” she added.

Without disclosing the name of the American company, Devandera said the firm is planning to start operations this quarter. “The contracts have already been signed. They are really setting up,” she said.

She said the area that will be occupied by the American EV maker is small, noting that it is within a plug and play facility. “That’s why we were so encouraged to invite more because they don’t really use big facilities.”

In an earlier statement, CDC said US–based manufacturing company Envirotech Vehicles (EVT) is set to bring its technology inside the Clark Freeport, investing $80 million to develop its green vehicle manufacturing plant within the zone.

It said the company is eying to establish its local assembly facility on a 15,000 to 20,000-square-meter land area within the freeport.

To formally establish its presence in the Freeport, EVT recently signed and entered into a two-year lease agreement with Berthaphil Inc., a developer inside Clark, for the provision of EVT’s temporary office and facility while it waits for the completion of its own assembly plant.

“We have been working with the officials of Clark. EVT will build its own facility. But right now, we’re starting with temporary locations and we’re going to use those locations and convert those into parks and parks storage afterward. Then, we’re going to build out a manufacturing facility,” EVT CEO Phillip Oldridge said earlier.

Apart from the American company, Devanadera said CDC has received inquiries from other EV manufacturers.

The Department of Trade and Industry recently said the government is looking to incentivize the manufacture of four million EV units in the next 10 years, to accelerate the shift from the traditional motor vehicle models to EV.

In a presentation at the recent Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit (PEVS), Trade Undersecretary for Innovation and Competitiveness Group Rafaelita Aldaba said the government is looking at setting the local production targets to be achieved within eight to 10 years from the promulgation of the EV incentive strategy (EVIS).

The trade official shared that an important component of the EVIS is the e-PUV program, which focuses on the manufacture of the commercial vehicle model.

Under the program, the country aims to build its automotive manufacturing capacity and capabilities for flagship commercial vehicle model that can compete in the global market in the future.

Aldaba said the incentive scheme will also offer a wider e-PUV plus program, which also extends subsidies to EV users.

Under the consumer subsidy program, the government plans to provide consumers with direct financial rebates or discounts when they purchase an EV.

Aldaba said the DTI is looking at providing a P10,000 subsidy for buyers of two-wheeler EVs, P20,000 for three-wheeled EVs and P500,000 for e-PUVs.