Globe brings in e-scooter from Taiwan

MANILA, Philippines — Ayala-led Globe Telecom Inc. has entered the mobility competition in line with its strategy to go beyond telco services, bringing in electric scooters from Taiwan that will be sold to the public by the end of the year.

Globe’s corporate incubator 917Ventures yesterday brought in the first set of Gogoro units in the Philippines, formalizing its partnership with the Taiwanese manufacturer of electric scooters.

917Ventures managing director Vince Yamat said the firm plans to begin selling Gogoro electric scooters by the fourth quarter of 2023, as it wants to improve the infrastructure in Metro Manila first for this alternative transport.

Gogoro makes use of a unique technology wherein riders can just go to a Gogoro station to take out their depleted battery and exchange for a fully-charged one. In the process, Gogoro removes the usual issue with electric vehicles, that they take time to charge their battery.

Yamat said the first Gogoro station would be put up at The Globe Tower in Bonifacio Global City, as Globe will test the viability of the electric scooters through its employees.

At least 70 workers of Globe will use the Gogoro units for more than two months starting May.

At the end of the pilot period, Globe expects these employees to report their experience in riding the electric scooters, as well as using its battery-swapping system.

For a start, 917Ventures will install seven Gogoro stations around the central business districts of Metro Manila and will add new terminals depending on the demand for the two-wheeled vehicle.

Yamat also said that the battery-swapping stations would be located in areas where motorist traffic is usually busy to ensure their proximity to future users of Gogoro electric scooters.

Gogoro co-founder and CEO Horace Luke said more than 99 percent of Taiwan’s scooter market used to be reliant on fuel. Since Gogoro was founded in 2011, the share of electric scooters grew to 18 percent nationwide and even jumped to 25 percent in the metro.

Luke said the Philippines at present is a picture of what Taiwan used to be where over 99 percent of its scooters use gas. With Gogoro’s entry in the market, the firm believes that it can convince Filipinos to make the switch, especially as electric scooters emit less carbon.

Further, Globe president and CEO Ernest Cu said Gogoro units address the traffic issue in Metro Manila, as they can navigate the road with ease as two-wheeled vehicles.