Philippine government to spend P4B on electric tricycles

Zum electric tricycle manufactured by EMotors

The Philippine government aims to jump-start the use of electric vehicles by funding a program that will replace regular tricycles with electric tricycles or “e-trikes.” The e-trikes are seen as a measure that can help reduce pollution. The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will release a total of P4.27 billion for the e-trike project as counterpart funding. The Asian Development Bank will spend for the bulk o fthe project, which totals P21.67 billion. The DMB has already released P506 million for the project.

The project aims to put 200,000 units of e-trikes on Metro Manila roads, and 3.5 million across the country by 2017. These should replace tricycles that run on gasoline. The e-trikes will be offered to tricycle drivers on a lease or lease-to-own basis. The amount saved on fuel will theoretically be used by the drivers to pay for the e-trikes.

The project also covers the cost of hiring project consultants and conduct of surveys of local government units that will participate in the e-trike project

“Now that the Aquino administration has released the government’s fund counterpart for the e-Trike project, we can expect to see more of these e-Trikes plying the routes taken by traditional tricycles, so that the electronic vehicles can take commuters to various drop-off points within their communities,” DBM Secretary Florencio Abad said in a statement.

“Using innovative technology and competitive financing, this project will achieve widespread adoption of electric tricycles and the development of a sustainable local e-trike manufacturing industry,” the ADB said in the project report.

With report by Michelle V. Remo