Electric era descends upon us

The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines is spearheading initiatives in the local electric vehicle sector to further propel the implementation of the provisions outlined in the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (Republic Act 11697), more than a year following its enactment.

This mission was most prominently showcased in the recently held Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit 2023, marking its 11th and largest edition aimed at propelling broader EV adoption across the nation.

Spanning three days from 10 to 21 October at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, the summit exhibited the latest in EV technologies, innovations, and fresh product releases from major players within the country and the surrounding region.

Under the auspices of the EVIDA Law, it has become a mandate for corporate entities and government bodies to ensure that EVs make up a minimum of 5 percent of their respective fleets.

Additionally, EV users now have access to dedicated parking slots in both public and private structures, where EV charging stations are to be established for easier vehicle charging.

A variety of other incentives have also been introduced, including EVs being exempt from traffic coding schemes, priority registration for EVs, and an expedited process for franchise to operate applications within public transportation fleets.

EVAP president Edmund Araga shared: "Our partner, the Department of Energy, is actively pushing for a faster rollout of EV use nationwide under its Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry or CREVI, which is serving as our 'north star' for wider and more concise implementation of the EVIDA Law."

The current data from EVAP reports about 15,300 EV units in use across the country as of October 2022, inclusive of 354 electric motorcycles and 88 electric buses.

By November 2022, the country saw 900 EV charging units spread across various stations nationwide. The association envisions the EV stock catapulting to more than 6.6 million units by 2030.

On a parallel track, the Department of Trade and Industry is developing a national Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy to further incentivize local enterprises to transition to EVs.

The Department of Transportation, on the other hand, is channeling its efforts towards the modernization of public utility vehicles, earmarking EVs as the favored transport units. Various other government agencies are also playing their part in fostering EV adoption.

A notable feature of this year's EV summit was the unveiling of the UNIDO Project, which is targeted at hastening the adoption and upscaling of electric mobility for low-carbon city development, as announced during PEVS 2023 by Araga.