With the recent Department of Energy move to scrap the planned fielding of Electric Trikes (ETrikes) in the country, one would think that industries like the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) would suffer a huge blow. And to a certain extent, it admittedly did. Yet all is not lost, says Rommel Juan, EVAP President. It is “just a minor setback”, he remarks.
On the contrary, EVAP has already put together a roadmap for the next ten years, which it presented to its members and stakeholders at its recent General Members’ Meeting and Christmas party. The short, medium, and long term goals have already been outlined, which aim to strengthen the industry in the coming years.
The main goal for the coming year—2017--, for instance, is to push for the passage of the Electric and Hybrid law in both the Senate and House of Representatives. Such a law would enable the entry and manufacturing of cheaper and more affordable vehicles that run on said alternative energy sources, thanks to tax exemptions and other incentives.
Apart from this, EVAP will also strive to field more battery charging and swapping stations located in strategic areas of the country. This will help ease potential and current owners’ woes on where to bring their vehicles for charging. In line with this, the group will likewise work with TESDA to come up with a curriculum for a nationwide training program for EV repair, maintenance, and servicing. EV parts are also on the agenda, particularly, the raising of standards for the type of parts used and manufactured.
And of course, joint ventures, as well as better financing are also being pushed. These will enable a more attractive price point for EVs, hence making it more enticing for the majority—and not just an alternative means of transport.
While EVAP looked to the future, it didn’t forget to mark the many milestones that took place during the year that was. The EV Summit, the sharing of best practices, and the MOUs signed with counterparts from countries like Korea and Japan, are just some of the things that made 2016 extra special for the group and its memebers.
Sure, around 100,000 ETrikes may have been lost. Yet it looks like a lot more will be gained in the coming years.
