MANILA - The Department of Energy and the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines are pushing to include two and three-wheeled electric vehicles in the executive order on import tariff suspension.

DOE Director Patrick Aquino said Executive Order 12 covers only four-wheeled vehicles in the import tariff suspension for 5 years.

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The EO has reduced prices of some electric cars and Aquino now wants it to also cover tricycles and motorcycles.

“The most accessible electric vehicle would be the two-wheeler. And right now in terms of pricing, we’d like to extend the same privileges granted to 4-wheelers to that,” said Aquino.

He added that suspending import tariffs will cut down prices of electric motorcycles which are more commonly used by Filipinos.

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EVAP President Edmund Araga added that though electric vehicles remain more expensive in the Philippines compared to neighboring countries, prices have dropped and even the working class people are starting to become interested.

“More inclined ang A and B market kasi they really understand the benefits of using electric. But right now the class C, D, E are trying to catch up. That’s why there is a model that is lower, that is daily use like a small car on average of P700-800,000,” said Araga.

Araga said the electric vehicle industry is growing in the country following the implementation of the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) last year.

The law gives fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for EV users, as well mandating 5 percent EV share in corporate and government fleet.

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“More and more players are coming in not only on the e-vehicles, but the whole infrastructure when it comes to charging stations, supplies and others,” said Araga.

Based on the latest data of EVAP, there are nearly 15,000 electric vehicles in the country as of 2022. In the first quarter of 2023, over 2,500 electric vehicles were sold. That includes all kinds of EVs.

EVAP and other stakeholders will discuss the future of EV in the country in the upcoming Philippine Vehicle Summit on October 19-21 in Pasay.

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