MPT Mobility, a new entity that houses all the non-toll related enterprises of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), announced on Thursday that the group would start installing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations along its expressways in 2022.
“We will start next year,” MPT Mobility Vice-President for Business Development Mark Richmund M. De Leon, a former Transport department undersecretary, said at a webinar hosted by the MPTC.
“At least one [EV charging station] in NLEX (North Luzon Expressway), one in CAVITEX (Manila–Cavite Expressway) and even in CALAX (Cavite–Laguna Expressway). That’s the plan in our mobility,” he added.
Mr. De Leon also said the next step would be the installation of EV charging stations in parking lots.
The Energy department said in September that it had endorsed to the Board of Investments a P2.5-billion investment project that would bring in 20,000 imported electric vehicles.
Electric vehicle registrations fell 35% to 1,015 in 2020 from 1,570 in 2019, according to Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines President Edmund A. Araga.
Global EV sales are expected to grow from four million units in 2021 to 35 million in 2030.
MPTC is the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., one of three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.
Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin
