EV Enthusiasts, Observers Say the Philippine EV Sector Is Gaining Momentum

After the successful running of the 11th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit (PEVS) two weekends ago, the electric vehicle community in the country said in various social media posts that the country is on track towards an “electrified” future.

“We are gaining momentum,” a member of the Electric Vehicle Owners of the Philippines said in a Facebook post. Another one who test drove an electric vehicle at the 11th PEVS reported his findings and said his next EV would be from Kia.

Last month Tesla opened its first showroom in Mandaluyong City about 18 km from Manila. The official dealership of the world’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer offers the Model 3 and the Model Y.

As the Philippine government, the private sector and EV advocates are working together to promote EV adoption, the market seems to be growing as evidenced by an ever-growing community of users.

Government Initiatives

The Philippine government is actively pushing for a faster rollout of electric vehicles (EVs) nationwide under its Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry (CREVI). The EVIDA Law mandates that at least 5% of all vehicles in the country should be EVs, but the Department of Energy (DOE) is pushing to double that to 10% immediately and increase it to 50% by 2040. To achieve this, the DOE aims to deploy 2.45 million EVs and up to 65,000 EV charging stations nationwide from 2023 to 2028.

EVAP Initiatives

The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) is committed to accelerating the adoption of EVs in the Philippines. The association is looking forward to working with various government agencies to implement more partnerships and initiatives, such as the Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategic Program (EVIS) by the Board of Investments of the Department of Trade and Industry. EVAP is also actively participating in international events to learn from global best practices and establish connections with the global EV community.

Additionally, EVAP has requested the Bureau of Customs to exempt EVAP members from Import Assessment System (IAS) processing, which would significantly benefit EVAP members and help to further speed up and broaden EV adoption in the country.Other Notable Developments

The Future Of EVs In The Philippines

The Philippines is committed to accelerating the adoption of EVs to reduce air pollution and lessen its reliance on fossil fuels. The government and private sector are working together to make EVs more affordable and accessible to Filipinos.

In addition to the initiatives mentioned above, the Department of Trade and Industry is also exploring a program similar to the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy, which will provide subsidies for domestically-produced e-vehicles and their components.

Executive Order No. 12 also plays a pivotal role in enhancing the cost-competitiveness of electric vehicles within the Philippine market by eliminating tariff rates on completely built-up imported EVs for a period of five years.

“After the 11th PEVS, I believe that the outlook for the EV sector in the Philippines is now extremely optimistic,” Rommel Juan, Chairman of the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines said.

With the government and private sector working together, the Philippines is well-positioned to achieve its twin goals set for EV usage and market growth of at least 20% of vehicles on the road 2030 and a 50% transition to EVs by 2045 of reducing air pollution and lessening its reliance on fossil fuels.