First ASEAN industry show to highlight 15 local e-vehicle firms
Some 15 local e-vehicle manufacturers will showcase their creation along with several other hybrid vehicles by global brands at the 1st ASEAN Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Summit to be held in Manila.
Rommel T. Juan, president of the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP), said at the preevent launch of the first-ever summit on June 29-30, 2017 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
Aside from the electric and hybrid vehicles, Juan said the summit will also showcase battery charging technologies, new battery applications, controllers, parts, among others.
Juan said the hosting of this first-ever summit on green vehicle technology will make the Philippines a leader and pioneer in electric and hybrid vehicle industry.
Local players see the huge potential for green vehicles in the country with the government’s move towards cleaner technology and to replace the old and dilapidated 200,000 jeepneys where 80 percent of these vehicles are causing air pollution in the metropolis.
Already, the summit, which is co-organized by the government’s Board of Investments, EVAP, Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. and Meralco, has gained support by the ASEAN National Organizing Committee as one of the region’s official events this year.
There will also be a signing of a Memorandum of Agreement establishing the ASEAN Federation of Electric & Hybrid Vehicles Industries (AFEHVI) by Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. ASEAN countries will take turns in hosting the annual summit.
Staging of the first ASEAN EV Technology World Exhibition which will feature the CAMPI Pavilion showcasing electric and hybrid cars manufactured by members of CAMPI in addition to the EVAP members exposition of e-jeeps, e-shuttles, ebuses, e-tricycles and e-bikes and charging stations.
There will also be presentation of country reports by leaders from the different EV & Hybrid Industry associations on the current state of their respective industries.
To be featured are panel discussions on presentations on how to create a successful ASEAN EV & Hybrid Ecosystem from Global EV & Hybrid Organizations, Forum on Battery Technologies and Charging Protocols, and Updates on the Impact of Paris Agreement Entry Into Force on the Transport Sector.
CAMPI President Atty. Rommel R. Gutierrez, on the other hand, said his group is supportive of the government’s direction towards sustainable transport development saying “the promotion and successful adoption of advanced/green vehicle technology are among the major advocacies of CAMPI.”
“We are optimistic that the Summit will serve as a platform for the creation of a roadmap for the successful adoption of advanced/green vehicle technology in the ASEAN region. At the local level, we hope that this event through the active participation and vehicle showcase of our member brands, will increase awareness on Electric and Hybrid vehicles and generate much needed support from government and other stakeholders,” Gutierrez said.
The highlights of the Summit include a ceremonial turnover of i-MiEV and outlander PHEV by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and signing of a Memorandum of Agreement.
Juan said all these efforts are in line with global objective that 30 percent of all vehicles sold by 2030 are already electric and hybrid vehicles.
BOI Executive Director Corazon Dichosa also raised the potential of the Philippines as manufacturing hub for e-vehicles.
Albeit slowly, e-vehicles have been patronized in some parts of the country, particularly by local government units. Juan said there are as many as 1,000 units of e-trikes in the local market, 200 e-jeepneys and 600 hybrids.