Philippines Boosts Local EV Tech to Ease Fuel Costs

The Philippine Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is expanding partnerships with universities to deploy locally developed electric vehicle technologies across the country. Driven by rising fuel prices, the DOST is moving e-mobility systems from research labs into practical use on roads and waterways. The M/B Dalaray, the nation’s first entirely domestically-made electric passenger ferry, now operates on the Pasig River, utilizing a 160-kilowatt-hour battery and solar power.

Alongside the ferry, the agency is piloting electric tricycles in several regions and developing conversion kits to electrify existing vehicles. A standardized kit offers an 80-kilometer range and reduces operational costs to 0.88 pesos per kilometer, down from 2.30 pesos for gasoline tricycles.

The DOST is also working on electric jeepneys and hybrid trains, alongside a fast-charging network called CharM that reduces charging times to around 30 minutes. The goal is to convert 10% of the public transport fleet to electric by 2040.