The Philippines will push for the creation of an e-vehicle federation in Southeast Asia to create another growth area for the local automotive sector.
The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. said in a pre-event briefing Friday for the first Asean Electric & Hybrid Vehicles Summit the private sector was more than willing to support the advocacy for e-vehicles.
“We need other counties to form the federation in the Asean. We could be the catalyst that will urge the rest of the Asean to continue to advocate for greener and more sustainable vehicles of the future,” said Campi president Rommel Gutierrez.
The group recognized the important role of the government as policy maker in supporting the goal of the e-vehicle industry.
Campi will also ask fiscal incentives the government to bring the cost of acquiring an e-vehicle lower.
So far, there are about 2,000 e-trikes available in the Philippines, about 200 e-jeepneys manufactured and about 600 hybrid cars.
An e-trike costs about P200,000 to P250,000 a unit while the price of an e-jeepney ranges from P800,000 to P1.1 million. Hybrid sedans and cars with electric component are more expensive from a base price of P2 million up.
Board of Investments executive director Corieh Dichosa said the government was fully supporting the e-vehicle campaign for more a sustainable transportation system, after the agency assisted the industry in the crafting of the e-vehicle road map.
Non-fiscal incentives in the e-vehicle industry are also granted in other countries, which the Philippines wants to replicate.
Campi and the BoI are co-presentors of the first AseanElectric & Hybrid Vehicles Summit to be held on June 29 and 30, 2017 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
About 15 e-vehicles will be displayed to create local awareness and stimulate the sales of the eco-friendly units.