MANILA, Philippines - Filipino electric vehicle (EV) maker EMotors Inc. (EMI) is expanding its presence in the country as it opened a dealership in Iloilo City.
“This marks another milestone in our goal to serve the needs of Filipinos for an affordable, low cost, low maintenance, innovative and easy to use vehicle, one that helps increase one’s income while at the same time help clean our air,†EMI chief executive officer Elizabeth Lee said in a statement.
Iloilo City was chosen as a site for the company’s dealership given the city’s efforts to promote sustainable and environment-friendly practices.
Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog said the opening of EMI’s dealership and launch of the firm’s ZuM electric three-wheelers is a welcome development.
“This further expands and complements our objective of greening Iloilo City with the use of clean, green EVs.We need to help mitigate the adverse effects of climate change and be the model for environmental tourism advocates to come and see the advances we’ve made so far,†he said.
EMI’s dealership in Iloilo is the firm’s second outlet in the Visayan region.
It opened its first dealership in the region in Cebu last month.
The firm has invested P107 million to assemble EVs at its plant in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
Lee said earlier the company is looking for more customers as it seeks to expand its output.
The EV maker intends to utilize its plant’s initial production capacity of 200 units per month this year.
Its customers are engaged in the beverage, logistics and garments sectors.
EMI is the country’s first manufacturer and assembler of electric tricycles to be registered with the Board of Investments’ Motor
Vehicle Development Program under Executive Order 156.
It is also the first to be registered in the agency under EO 226 or the Investment Priorities Plan.