<
https://restofworld.org/2024/electric-three-wheelers-philippines-regulations/>
"Manila’s gridlock can exasperate even the most patient drivers, but it does
not faze Kyla Adlawon, who weaves between the traffic on an electric tricycle.
The red three-wheeled vehicle has ferried her and her family on market runs,
errands, and even leisure trips outside the city for four years. But lately,
she’s had to take more detours to avoid the main roads, following a government
order.
Manila has among the world’s worst traffic congestion. The long commutes mean
more fuel consumption, and higher bills for drivers and commuters, but not for
Adlawon and a growing number of Filipinos who are hopping onto electric
tricycles, commonly known as e-trikes. Most are not registered, and drivers do
not have licenses, despite recent efforts to regulate them.
“Commuter fares are so high now, this has really helped us get around cheaply.
When a pregnant cousin went into labor, we even rushed her to the hospital on
this,” Adlawon, 22, told
Rest of World. “I’m willing to apply for a driver’s
license, but I wish they would ease the process for us.”
Compared to other Southeast Asian nations such as Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia
and Vietnam, the Philippines has been a laggard in EV adoption. The government
wants EVs to make up half of all vehicles on the road by 2040, but last year,
less than 1% of over 14.3 million registered vehicles were electric, according
to officials. Only one category of EVs appears to have bucked this trend: light
EVs, or two- and three-wheeled vehicles, which the Philippine Land
Transportation Office defines as vehicles weighing less than 50 kilograms (110
pounds).
Driven partly by transport restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic, Filipinos
have readily embraced three-wheeled EVs. These are far more affordable than
entry-level electric cars; most can easily accommodate a family of four. Most
vehicles are assembled locally, with parts imported cheaply from China under a
no-tariff policy.
The e-trikes are often customized, with a light roof, and plastic sheets on the
sides to shield from the elements. Accessories can include a mini fan, and even
Bluetooth speakers. The vehicles come in several configurations: Smaller
vehicles can carry one to three passengers. A bigger vehicle, which looks like
a tuk-tuk (motorized auto-rickshaw), can ferry up to eight people. These are
fast becoming an alternative to aging jeepneys, the iconic Filipino public
transport vehicles that are being pushed to modernize.
In hacking affordable alternatives to the country’s poor public transport and
pricey fuel bills, Filipinos are doing what people everywhere are doing, from
Mexico City to Jakarta, transport economist Robert Siy told
Rest of World.
“Now we see many vulnerable sectors of our society being mobile because they
have access to e-bikes and e-trikes,” he said. “Globally, [light EVs] are the
fastest-growing EVs, and we need to ride that trend. It’s a missed opportunity
if we don’t.”"
Via Wayne Radinsky.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
