DTI mulls over mandatory certification for e-bikes, batteries

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is actively studying rules that would require manufacturers to have electric bicycles, other light electric vehicles, and their batteries undergo mandatory safety certification before selling them in the Philippines.

Under a draft technical regulation, the agency plans to require that covered vehicles obtain Philippine National Standards (PNS) certification before distributors can sell them in the domestic market. Batteries, meanwhile, would undergo a separate certification process. 

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Such standards would apply to e-bikes, personal e-mobility devices, electrically propelled mopeds, electric motorcycles and their batteries.

The proposed rules would not cover electric vehicle supply equipment, charging stations and related infrastructure, battery-swapping stations, stationary battery energy storage systems and separate electrical components.

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Industrty players have until Dec, 13 to submit their comments

If approved, the regulation would add to the DTI’s existing mandatory product certification requirements, which currently cover 111 products, including automotive-related items such as seat belts, helmets, and speed limitation devices.