Philippine University-Developed Electric Tricycles Ready for Commercial Production

This one is about public transit in the Philippines, not something that touches a US home directly, but it's a look at how electric vehicle technology is spreading into everyday transport elsewhere. Cagayan State University has opened its electric tricycle designs to commercial investors, moving them from research prototypes toward actual production. The university's research center showed off two versions at a Manila expo: a custom seven-seater electric trike and a converted gas-powered one. The seven-seater prototype cost 600,000 pesos (about $10,400) to build, but officials expect commercial-scale production to cut that cost by removing research expenses and improving efficiency through mechanization.

The university also developed a cheaper option: a conversion kit that turns an existing gas tricycle electric for about 120,000 pesos ($2,080), letting operators electrify vehicles they already own rather than buying new ones. A battery-swapping system lets drivers swap in a charged battery in minutes instead of waiting to recharge. The project got over 51 million pesos ($884,000) in government funding and involved engineering help from the University of the Philippines Diliman. Five test units have already been running in several provinces.

The university has now signed licensing deals with private companies to handle manufacturing and distribution. Researchers say the biggest hurdle to wider adoption is still the upfront cost of the vehicles, along with building reliable local supply chains for batteries and electronics.