3-wheeled EVs to serve BGC employees

By Tessa R. Salazar Philippine Daily Inquirer October 04,2017
EMI president Elizabeth H. Lee drives an e-shuttle, one of seven that will be used to shuttle thousands of The Net Group employees in BGC.

EMI president Elizabeth H. Lee drives an e-shuttle, one of seven that will be used to shuttle thousands of The Net Group employees in BGC.

Phililppine electric vehicle (EV) maker EMotors Inc. (EMI) will soon provide three-wheeled ZuM passenger shuttles to staff, officers and tenants of the Net Park and Net Lima buildings of The Net Group (TNG) at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City.

Initially, seven units of these zero-emission EVs will be used to shuttle thousands of employees in those two buildings.

EMI, the official electric mobility partner of the recent Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec), initiated this move to help alleviate pollution, lower the carbon footprint, as well as help create jobs and livelihood to both men and women drivers.

EMI partnered with The Net Group, which is touted as the country’s largest green office building developer.

The partnership with EMI makes TNG the first company in BGC to use sustainable, all-electric vehicles to serve the transport needs of its employees.

The Ayala-led BGC is a prime location populated by global companies. This project would promote the use and benefits of the ZüM e-shuttle.

EMI also adds TNG to its growing list of sustainability-conscious partners, which include PepsiCo, 2GO and Astoria Group.

EMI president Elizabeth H. Lee was formerly an auto industry personality, and the president of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi).

With her advocacies that include the environment and women empowerment, Lee has been pushing for EMI’s social objectives aimed to address three major social issues: women’s welfare (wherein majority of the e-shuttle drivers are women), livelihood creation (wherein drivers get to earn a living that is less taxing, more enjoyable, and fulfilling), and environmental protection (limiting environmental degradation, pollution and supporting clean air efforts).

“The endeavor provides for a win-win-win situation for all stakeholders where the company, the people and the city gain from the obvious benefits of using zero-emission, zero-noise electric vehicles,” Lee said.

“We want to help alleviate the stress of commuting for TNG staff and our tenants even within a short radius with the free point-to-point ZÜM electric shuttle, one that also supports our corporate sustainability goals,” said Raymond Rufino, co-president of TNG.

Lee added: “By working together, we cocreate mutual value. We connect with visionary leaders and citizens who put importance in transforming the way we live, work, play and one that jumpstarts a radical change in how we move around our communities and lessen our impact on the environment.”

Lee told Inquirer Motoring that EMI would soon expand its initial fleet of seven units, considering the sheer number of customers.

“There are thousands of employees in one building and seven units are not enough to cater to even one of the larger tenants,” Lee observed.

As cities worldwide continue to become innovative climate solution hubs, the time for EVs becoming an integral part of a city’s transport mix may be arriving sooner than anticipated.

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