Tsuneishi goes into E-Trike production

CEBU, Philippines - The Tsuneishi Group of Companies, which is known worldwide for shipbuilding, is now venturing into production of electronic tricycles and to make Balamban the first in the country to have E-Trikes around.

 The company and the municipality of Ba-lamban launched yesterday the E-Trike Project with 10 China-made units to ferry passengers for three days starting on October 5 to 7 as its testing period.

“The vision of the E-Trike Project is to make Balamban the most ecological town in the Phi-lippines,” declared Shinji Watadani, president of Tsuneishi C Values Corporation.

 Watadani said the effect of E-Trikes will be to reduce carbon dioxide emission, makes drivers more profitable in terms of more passengers and less fuel cost and to produce new jobs.

He is hoping the people in Balamban will support the testing period as he also thanked Mayor Ace Stefan Binghay for the special permit for three days.

 Binghay said he has talked with the officials of Land Transportation Office and the local government unit is now helping the processing of the company’s papers for the establishment of the manufacturing plant in Balamban.

 Watadani said their target is to spread out E-Trikes with good quality and reasonable price.

 “After demonstration, we will modify them to better ones and release official products next year,” he said.

 Binghay said 10 tricycle drivers were selected to drive the E-Trikes during the testing period. They will be given P150 each day on top of their income which would also be entirely given to them.

 A charging station is set up at the town hall which also serves as garage of the E-Trikes.

 Binghay’s father and former town mayor, Provincial Board Member Alex Binghay, welcomed the project.

Reportedly, there are 3.5 million gas-fuelled motorcycles and tricycles currently operating in the Philippines.

 President Benigno Aquino III earlier announced that 100,000 gas-fuelled tricycles to be changed to E-Trikes as the first stage.

 With the report, Watadani pointed out that Tsuneishi will advance business E-Trikes in Balamban through a joint collaboration with the local government.

 The E-Trike is equipped with 2,200mm wheel base, lead acid battery chargeable in 10 hours to run up to 60 kilometers at 33km per hour top speed and can carry a driver and six passengers.  (FREEMAN)