Philippine President Pushes Local Production of Electric Tricycles, Jeepneys

The Philippine government is pushing to build electric tricycles and jeepneys (small buses used for public transport) domestically, rather than relying on imports. President Marcos raised the idea during an August 25 visit to a manufacturer in Caloocan City, and officials at the Department of Science and Technology say they want local companies to team up with universities that have already developed electric vehicle technology, so those designs can move into real production.

One example is Cagayan State University, which built a seven-seater electric tricycle that currently costs about 600,000 pesos (roughly $10,400) to produce, though officials say that price includes research costs and could drop once the vehicle is made commercially. The university also created a cheaper option: a kit that converts an existing gas-powered tricycle to electric power for about 120,000 pesos, plus a battery-swapping system that lets drivers trade a dead battery for a charged one instead of waiting to recharge. Five test units have already been deployed to several provinces.

This is a Philippine government and manufacturing story, not something with a direct rebate or program for homeowners elsewhere. It matters mainly as a sign of where electric vehicle costs and technology are heading — cheaper batteries, conversion kits for existing vehicles, and battery-swapping instead of long charging waits are all trends that could eventually show up in other markets, including small electric vehicles and even home charging or battery equipment decisions down the road.