The 6th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit was held at the SMX Convention Center in Mall of Asia last July 10-11. This year’s theme: “Stepping Up Partnerships to Electrify Public and Private Transport” promises to further build the foundations of an EV-empowered transportation system in the country.
With an increased social consciousness of environmental footprints, coupled with the continued increase of global petroleum prices, electric vehicles (EV) are beginning to creep into the everyday fabric of modern communities and society.
According to the latest report by Frost & Sullivan, global electric car sales topped the 1.2-million-unit milestone in 2017, with a continued projected growth of 33% for 2018. Roughly 75 percent of the global EV market is in China and Europe with over 2.5 million electric vehicle units in use between them.
“We see a continuing momentum for EV sales in the local market, driven by the many ongoing public and private initiatives”, says Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) President, Rommel T. Juan. ”The 2-day PHEV Summit is all about building partnerships, aligning objectives, and taking collective action to facilitate further adoption of electric vehicles in the country.”
We can already see the beginnings of the movement with the Department of Transportation’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP). The program aims to roll out 200,000 e-PUVs by 2025, and the local market is slowly but steadily accepting EVs into their daily commute and transportation experience. There are now e-PUV lines regularly plying the streets of Makati, BGC, and other Metro Manila commercial and business districts. Similarly, e-Jeepneys are also beginning to be implemented in provincial areas, such as Tacloban.
Although the EV movement in the Philippines is still predominantly in the public utility sector, it’s only a matter of time before the private sector turns the corner. As Frost & Sullivan also notes that “with over 40% acceptance rate, the Philippines is the most receptive country in the region to the use of EV.” This, coupled with the continued commercial investment in infrastructure and administrative support in affirmative EV policies such as the exemption of electric vehicles from the recently-enacted TRAIN Law, will only serve to make this a reality sooner than later.
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Turning over a New LEAF
The Nissan LEAF, Nissan’s award-winning five-door compact hatchback electric car was one of the EVs on display at the 6th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit in SMX Convention Center.
As an all-electric car, the Nissan LEAF produces no greenhouse gas emissions and very low levels of noise or auditory pollution. The 147-hp (110 kW) AC synchronous electric motor produces as much as 236 lb-ft of torque in a much shorter time than standard combustion engines, providing a more responsive and engaging driving experience. With less moving parts, the electric engine also benefits from less wear and tear, which translates to easier vehicle maintenance for its owners.
The 40 KwH Lithium-Ion battery on the Nissan LEAF provides enough power for over 200Km of driving on a full battery charge. And, with the 6.6 Kw Onboard Charger and portable 120/240V charging cable that plugs into any standard wall outlet, recharging the battery is never a problem.
With new Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies available, the Nissan LEAF shares some of the driving tasks so you can let go of stress and enjoy the ride. The innovative e-Pedal allows the driver to start, accelerate, decelerate, and stop the vehicle by using a single foot pedal. In stop-and-go city traffic, the e-Pedal greatly reduces the need to shift from one pedal to the other, making driving simpler and more engaging.
As a standard commercial vehicle, the Nissan LEAF offers all the same conveniences and creature comforts one would expect from a contemporary vehicle in the market: air conditioning, adjustable seats, AV entertainment console, USB and charging sockets, and, of course, connectivity options for your phones and mobile devices.
The Nissan LEAF is currently in circulation in Japan, the United States, Canada and various European countries. With over 300,000 units sold worldwide through January 2018, it is the top-selling highway-capable electric car in the world to date.
For more information about the Nissan LEAF, visit Nissan LEAF Electric Car website.
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