50 percent of EV share by 2040 challenging – DOE

MANILA, Philippines — The target of raising to 50 percent the share of electric vehicles in the country by 2040 is challenging, according to the Department of Energy (DOE). 

“It’s a challenge. We agree it’s going to be a challenge, It will take all of our efforts, whether on government or private sector,” DOE director Patrick Aquino said.

“But if you take a look around, there are more electric vehicles available in the market, there are more electric vehicle charging stations. So we’re confident that we will be able to reach it collectively. It’s not just the government that’s going to do it. It’s going to be everybody. So that’s what we’re looking forward to,” he said.

Aquino said the government would have to partner closely with the private sector to attain the 50 percent EV target by 2040.  “So it’s going to be a whole of society approach,” he said.

“What you can expect in the coming months and days is that government will have a more cohesive program, integrating all of those mechanisms,” he said.

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla earlier said the market for EVs in the country has grown significantly and is expected to grow over the coming years.

For the first quarter of 2023 alone, he said the number of EVs sold has surpassed the total EV sales for the last three years. 

“President  Marcos has challenged us to imagine a future where, by 2040, 50 percent or more of all vehicles on our roads are electric, cutting our carbon dioxide emissions by 1.9 million tons,” Lotilla said. 

“Envision a network of over 100,000 charging stations powered by renewable energy and a thriving industry, creating an estimated 40,000 jobs for EV manufacturing and technology support. These figures are not mere statistics.  They are milestones in our journey, guided by the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry or the CREVI,” he said.

The CREVI sets a minimum 10 percent target EV share for all sectors, excluding EV trucks, by 2040 under the business-as-usual scenario.

The aggressive clean energy scenario, on the other hand, sets a more ambitious target of at least 50 percent of all fleets by 2040. 

Lotilla said these shall be achieved through various initiatives, such as a phased approach to improve EV utilization, promotion of EV manufacturing, EV research and development, human resource development and improving relevant policies and credit programs.