THE Department of Energy (DoE) said the rollout of electric vehicles (EVs) will greatly depend on coordination of policy with the Department of Transportation (DoTr), with charging infrastructure seen as key to accelerated adoption.
Patrick T. Aquino, director of the DoE’s Energy Utilization Management Bureau, made the remarks on policy coordination during the 11th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit last week.
The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines is expecting EV penetration to hit 6.6 million units by 2030.
Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, vice-chairman of Senate’s energy committee, said the DoE should also work with other agencies to expedite the rollout of charging stations.
“The biggest constraint in the adoption of EVs is the charging station. There’s no shortage of brands and EVs in the country, but some people are hesitant because they have nowhere to charge the EVs. So, the biggest challenge is the lack of necessary infrastructure and policies,” Mr. Gatchalian said.
The DoE is moving to accelerate the EV rollout to 10% of all vehicle fleets under its Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry (CREVI) from the initial 5% as required by Republic Act No. 11697 or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA).
Under CREVI, the government hopes to have at least 850,100 EVs and 20,300 EV charging stations by 2040.
The revised implementing rules and regulations of EVIDA, which were signed last year, set a 5% minimum share for EVs in corporate and government vehicle fleets.
The DoE said that the transition to EVs will also help the government achieve its sustainability goals.
The government has set a target of at least a 50% electric share of all vehicle fleets by 2040. — Ashley Erika O. Jose
