10th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit happening on Oct. 20-21

If you're keen on learning more about the future of electric vehicles (EVs) in the Philippines, the 10th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit is happening this week.

The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (eVAP), one of the country's largest EV groups, said the summit will be held on October 20 to 21, 2022, at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

The group said the event brings together stakeholders from the EV industry, including policymakers, regulators, academics, consultants, transport companies, power utilities, and end-users.

The group said attendees will be able to:

• Learn more about the latest applications, technologies, and market progress of electric vehicles
• Hear from industry leaders
• Stay up-to-date on new product launches
• Unlock new business opportunities
• Engage new customers
• Meet like-minded engineers, designers, and decision-makers
• Stay updated on the latest market innovations from across the industry

eVAP President Edmund Araga said in a statement that the summit is in line with the passage of Republic Act 11697, or the "Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act" (EVIDA), which lapsed into law on April 2022.

"Aside from the climate benefits of electric vehicles, another important benefit of EVs which has come to the fore of public policy attention especially after the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine is that EVs run on electricity and can therefore be an important contributor to reducing the use of oil in the country," he said.

Admission to the summit is free. Interested attendees can register at the eVAP website.

Incentives for EV buyers and sellers

R.A. 11697 introduces various incentives for EV owners and producers.

These include exemptions from number-coding schemes, special priority at the Land Transportation Office for registration concerns, discounts for the motor vehicle user's charge, vehicle registration, and inspection fees.

The measure also promotes the use of light EVs, which include electric scooters, electric bicycles, and similar vehicles that weigh less than 50 kilograms. Users will get segregated lanes on all local and national roads, which will be shared with regular bikes.

The law also outlines the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry (CREVI), which will serve as the country's framework for developing four aspects of the EV sector:

• EVs and charging stations
• Manufacturing
• Research and development
• Human-resource development

However, CREVI does not include discounts and tax perks that EV buyers in other countries enjoy, except for completely built units that are imported.

Section 28 of the law's implementing rules and regulations currently pushes for creating an EV incentive strategy for manufacturers that includes a provision for future government subsidies for EV buyers.

Growing global and local adoption

Citing the 2022 Global EV Outlook of the International Energy Agency, Araga said EV adoption had jumped greatly over the past decade, with 16.5 million EVs now on the world's roads.

"Sales of electric vehicles doubled in 2021 from the previous year to a new record of 6.6 million," he said. "Back in 2012, just 120,000 electric cars were sold worldwide. Global sales of electric cars have kept rising strongly in 2022, with 2 million sold in the first quarter, up 75 percent from the same period in 2021."

Araga said this trend was down to various incentives and subsidies, an increasing number of available EV models, and pledges to phase out internal-combustion engines in the coming decades.

"While the 6.6 million EV sales in 2021 were led by China (3.3 million), Europe (2.3 million), and the United States (630,000), by contrast, EV sales are still lagging in other emerging and developing economies, where the few models that are available remain unaffordable for mass-market consumers," he said.

In preparation for EV growth in the Philippines, CREVI will set a timeframe for when industrial and commercial companies, public transport operators, and government agencies will be required to have fleets that are at least five percent EV.

The framework aims to transition these sectors to become fully electric.

The law also mandates significant changes in infrastructure for EVs, including the construction of dedicated EV parking slots and charging stations in all new public and private establishments. Buildings that will be renovated must also comply with EV parking requirements.

Do you think the Philippines is ready for the electric revolution?