I have always wondered if EV (electric car) for the clueless is where the future is headed.

Last week, a friend forwarded me an IG of the Pinoy-made EV.

I checked it out and discovered that this EV was founded by Anastacio Francisco in Zapote, Manila, whose Francisco Motors is one of the country’s oldest automotive manufacturers.

Yes, Francisco Motors, established in 1947, is the maker of the Philippine Jeepney.

We all know that the jeepney has been in danger of being phased out, but they remain on the Pinoy roads forever because commuters would not have it otherwise.

Did you know it was Francisco Motors, in 1995, that built the sturdy and bulletproof Pope Mobile? I traveled to Luneta like all of those who followed Pope John Paul II. I got a glimpse of the Pope Mobile back then, and I was in awe.

From the jeepney to the Pope Mobile, Francisco Motors is a brand that is known to last forever.

A new age is here

In 2018, the full-electric Francisco Jeepney showed that the legacy vehicle could evolve into clean mobility.

Today, 2026 Francisco Motors’ entry into the passenger EV segment also marks a symbolic milestone for one of the Philippines’ oldest automotive brands, signaling that local manufacturers are beginning to participate in the country’s transition toward cleaner transportation alongside global competitors.

The Elektron represents the company’s shift toward electrification as the Philippines pushes to expand EV adoption under the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) and broader efforts to reduce transport emissions.

Does the EV matter?

The launch of the Elektron EV comes as competition intensifies in the Philippine EV market, where Chinese manufacturers such as BYD, GAC Aion, MG, Chery and Geely have rapidly expanded their offerings.

While most electric vehicles sold locally are imported, Francisco Motors is positioning the Elektron as a Filipino-developed brand entering a segment dominated by overseas manufacturers.

The vehicle also reflects growing demand for longer driving ranges, addressing one of the biggest concerns among potential EV buyers as charging infrastructure continues to expand nationwide.

But when will the war end?

It was announced on CBSNews.com on 1 August that President Donald Trump said that United States has agreed to “cancel the attack” on Iran after signaling a peace deal to end the war could be imminent.

“We have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters [sic] of a deal has been agreed to,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “This would include the Immediate, Complete and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.”

He added: “I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL. The Country of Israel joins me in this commitment.”

But if one follows the news, like we do here, it seems like a game of patintero for the Filipino.

You all know how the game is played. At least every Pinoy knows that if you are tagged, you are ‘it.’

So, the war is like a game where one country says one thing, making the other country ‘It’. The other country retaliates and the ‘it’ role changes hands.

In the motoring world, which is badly hit by the ongoing war — does a vehicle manufacturer really know where the industry is going?

Technology and its wonders

The marvel of technology never ceases to amaze us. One day it the EV; on another day it’s the HEV; and still for others they will not trade the fuel-injected cars that they own.

Good news, bad news, who knows.

As vehicle watchers, we cannot help but be awed by the emerging technology and we also wonder how self-driving cars and AI vehicles will make it to our shores.

Only one thing is in the way — war.

But what is peace?

Peace is a state of harmony, quiet and freedom from war or worry.

So, just like the vehicle you decide to get — it will only move forward well when peace rules the Strait of Hormuz.

Let’s take another detour, shall we?