The Department of Energy (DOE) said Filipinos are now more receptive to electric vehicles (EVs) as first quarter 2023 sales have surpassed total sales the last three years.
DOE Secretary Raphael Lotilla said at the opening of the 11th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit in Pasay City yesterday the EV industry continues to be challenged by high acquisition costs, inadequate infrastructure and lack of technical support.
The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP)
said sales of EVs in the first quarter hit 2,536 units compared to the 426 units sold for the entire 2022.
The group said from 2010 to 2022, EVs sold in the country have reached 14,357 units.
There were 15,300 EV units being used in the country as of October 2022. Of those, 354 are electric motorcycles and 88 are electric buses.
As of November, there were 900 EV charging units in various stations nationwide.
“Apart from replacing fossil fuels, the optimism around EVs is increasing because of the benefits in terms of increased energy efficiency and reduced local pollution. In the Philippines, as was previously noted, the market for EVs has grown significantly and is expected to grow over the coming years,” Lotilla said.
The DOE said under the current government roadmap, the target is to transform 50 percent or more of all vehicles in the country to EVs to cut emissions by 1.9 million tons.
The roadmap also targets to put up a network of over 100,000 charging stations by 2040.
According to EVAP, The group is projecting EV stock to reach more than 6.6 million units by 2030.
The industry is seen creating an estimated 40,000 jobs for 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, which sets a minimum 10 percent target EV share for all sectors, excluding EV trucks by 2040 under the business-as-usual scenario. On the other hand, the aggressive clean energy scenario sets a more ambitious target of at least 50 percent of all fleets by 2040,” Lotilla said.
The DOE said the roadmap also targets to improve EV utilization, promote EV manufacturing, EV research and development and human resource development as well as improve relevant policies and credit programs.
EVAP for its part is pushing for the full implementation of the provisions of the Electric Vehicle industry Development Act (EVIDA or Republic Act No. 11697), over a year after the enactment of the legislation.
Under the EVIDA Law, corporate firms and government agencies are mandated to have EVs comprise at least 5 percent of their fleet. EV users are also entitled to dedicated parking slots in public and private buildings and establishments, where EV charging stations should also be installed for more convenient charging of vehicles. Other incentives are also set, including exemption of EVs from traffic coding schemes, priority registration of EVs, and speedier processing of franchise to operate applications for public transportation fleets.
The three-day summit at the SMX Convention Center is showcasing the newest technologies, innovations, and product releases of the major EV sector players in the country and the region.
