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The rising preference for electric vehicles (EVs) in the country, as reflected in the recent surge in sales, could outpace the infrastructure development needed to make EVs a reliable and sustainable transportation option nationwide.
Maria Fe Perez-Agudo, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Hariphil Asia Resources Inc. (HARI), issued this projection following the company’s launch of electric commercial vehicles (ECVs) last week.
HARI, the official distributor of Hyundai trucks and buses in the country, recently unveiled the Hyundai Mighty Electric, the Hyundai County Electric, and its locally assembled offering, the HARI Cab.
Agudo said they are looking to sell 700 units for the three models this year.
She expressed optimism about achieving this goal, noting that the increase in EV sales could likewise extend to her company’s ECVs.
A joint report by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed that 5,311 EVs were sold in the first quarter of the year.
Of the amount, hybrid EVs take the charge with 4,544 units, which amounts to 86 percent of the total volume. This was followed by battery EVs and hybrid plug-in EVs with 692 units and 75 units, respectively.
Agudo said the rise in sales is a testament to the growing market appetite for EVs despite the relatively poor infrastructure in the country.
“We will progress as the infrastructure goes faster. So that's why the challenge for the private and public sector is to really improve the logistics and infrastructure development,” she explained.
While infrastructure development in the context of EVs is a catch-all term that includes everything from service centers to public transport integration, the most critical component remains the charging station.
Last month, the Department of Energy (DOE) said there are 912 publicly accessible charging stations in the country, roughly 13 percent of the government’s goal of 7,000 within the next three years.
“So we're still far, but you look at it from the other side, the potential is great. And we're going to get there,” Agudo said.
For HARI, she said the company has set aside funding to accelerate infrastructure within its network of dealerships.
Expanding the public’s access to charging stations would address range anxiety related to EVs, she said.
Agudo added that while demand for ECVs is not yet as strong as that for passenger EVs, the company is taking an early lead to help build that demand.
“If we want to go for a greener society, we must help in developing the demand for this. Otherwise, we cannot compete globally in terms of our contribution to a greener planet,” she said.
