DoE promotes widespread use of e-trikes

The Department of Energy (DoE) has committed to aggressively promote the “National Electric Vehicle Strategy” as part of its goal to reduce the country’s dependence on conventional fuels for transportation.

In its recent accomplishment report, the DoE said it was pushing for the use of electric-powered vehicles—particularly e-tricycles—for public transportation.

Recently, the DoE and the Asian Development Bank led the turnover of 20 electric tricycles to the city government of Mandaluyong.

These tricycles would not only save the tricycle drivers money as they no longer need to buy conventional fuel but would also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the DoE, it envisions that the promotion of e-tricycles will “spur development of local capabilities to design and maintain small-sized electric cars. This in turn will entice private investors to set up local manufacturing facilities that will lead to the creation of more jobs and a dynamic market for locally assembled units for export to the Asean region in the future.”

Another parallel program is the DoE’s Fueling Sustainable Transport Program (FSTP), which seeks to convert public and private vehicles from diesel and gasoline to compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and electric power.

With the FTSP, the government hopes to reduce the carbon footprint of road transport in the Philippines. With ADB funding, the DoE, through the FSTP, likewise aims to launch a series of pilot runs of electric and LPG jeeps as well as demonstration runs of electric buses and cars to prove their viability.