E-jeepney finally gets license plate from LTO; e-tricycles next

MANILA, Philippines – The “e-jeepney,” a Filipino designed and built passenger jeepney running on electricity, has finally been issued a license plate by the Land Transportation Office (LTO), clearing the way for their daily presence in the country’s major thoroughfares.

Ferdinand Raquelsantos, president of PhUV Inc., said that the issuance of the license plate to the e-jeepney, currently being pilot-tested in a jeepney route in the Makati City central business district, is a milestone in the local automotive industry’s efforts to come out with locally-developed cars running on cleaner and cheaper energy.

“This is a very significant milestone in the local auto industry as it signals the birth of a cleaner alternative in the public mass transport system in our country,” Raquelsantos said, adding that PhUV Inc. can now begin the mass production of the e-jeepneys.

“This will encourage us as we begin the next phase of the program – the mass production of more electric jeepneys in the next few months. As a matter of fact, a second e-jeepney will soon be added to ply the Salcedo Village route in Makati City,” he shared.

He added that the LTO’s establishment of a registration and classification system for vehicles running on electricity will also encourage them in their efforts to design and produce motorcycles running on electricity which they will call e-tricycles or “e-trikes.”

“Available in three different body configurations, the e-trikes will be the alternative for cleaner mass transport in the countryside. As a matter of fact, we will soon submit a proposal to some local government units and transport cooperatives for the e-trikes to possibly replace the gasoline-powered tricycles in their localities as part of our comprehensive Climate Friendly Cities Program,” he added.

PhUV Inc. is the business arm of the Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (MVPMAP) chaired by industrialist Egmidio “Eddie” Jose which is developing the e-jeepney and is also working on a true-blue Filipino designed and built car – the PhUV.

MVPMAP and PhUV Inc. source some of their e-jeepney components from Chinese suppliers.

In a recent official visit of President Arroyo to China, PhUV Inc., signed a memorandum of agreement with the Green Renewable Independent Power Producer (GRIPP) for the supply of more locally designed and assembled e-jeepneys.