President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday that the government would support efforts to develop fully Filipino-made electric vehicles (EVs), including electric tricycles and jeepneys, as part of a push to reduce the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
Marcos made the commitment during his visit to MD Juan Enterprises Inc. in Caloocan City, a 60-year-old Filipino company that is considered a pioneer in machine-pressed metal parts for both military and civilian jeeps.
According to the president, the government is assessing what equipment and technology the company still needs to produce EVs.
‘We already know what needs to be done,’ Marcos said. ‘Together with our technical consultants, I believe that we will soon see a Filipino-made electric vehicle, an electric tricycle, and perhaps down the road, we will also be making our own electric jeepneys.’
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and other government agencies would help provide the technology and other support needed by the company.
According to Marcos, the shift to locally manufactured electric vehicles may help reduce the country’s reliance on imported petroleum products.
‘In that way, we can help make the economy more stable and protect the livelihoods of public transport drivers,’ he said.
According to DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr., MD Juan manufactured e-tricycles in 2013 and 2014 but stopped due to lack of demand.
‘At that time, there was not much appetite among Filipinos to transition or convert from fossil fuel or gasoline-powered vehicles to electric vehicles,’ he said.
‘But energy prices have risen so more people are now interested. There is a lot of demand, but the supply for locally produced, Filipino-made EVs is lacking,’ Solidum added.
Charging infrastructure
The DOST wants MD Juan to partner with state universities that are developing different EV technologies to help the company increase and speed up production of e-tricycles to help local governments and Filipinos.
‘They already have production capabilities. What DOST is doing is helping them increase their production efficiency and expand their output,’ Solidum said.
The DOST is also working on a national charging infrastructure for EVs, including conventional electric chargers, solar-powered chargers, and battery-swapping systems.
But Solidum said the country needs more industry partners to bring these technologies to mass production.
What we really lack is an industry partner that can help accelerate production so that prices can come down and these vehicles can become more affordable for our fellow Filipinos,’ he added