Study shows 45-percent of Filipinos opt to purchase electric vehicle

It’s becoming more apparent that the future of mobility is leaning towards electrification. Countries such as Norway are seriously making moves to ban fossil fuel cars in favor of electric vehicles (EV) due to a major concern regarding the environment. As such, the global trend among car brands is to develop a vehicle that’s more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

List of hybrid and electric cars available in the Philippines: Philkotse Top lis

The EV trend is also seen among countries across Southeast Asia. Nissan said that the region shows high enthusiasm to own an electrified vehicle, a claim backed up by a study published by Frost & Sullivan titled The Future of Electrified Vehicles in Southeast Asia. The study showed that the Philippines is among the top three countries in Southeast Asia that consider making the shift to EVs. The other two countries are Indonesia and Thailand.    

The Philippines shows high interest in EVs

Frost & Sullivan Senior Vice President Vivek Vaidya shared that 45-percent of Filipinos is keen on the possibility of purchasing an EV in the next three years. This is despite the fact that the Philippines has yet to have more concrete policies and the necessary infrastructures when it comes to EV ownership.

In addition, consumer research in Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Singapore revealed that nearly two-thirds (64-percent) of respondents across Southeast Asia said they are more willing to consider an electrified vehicle than they were five years ago. Frost & Sullivan’s study further showed that 66-percent of consumers across the region believe they will inevitably adopt electrified mobility as part of their lives in the near future.

Nissan LEAF electric vehicle

Vaidya also shared that contributing factors on why more people across Southeast Asia are considering to shift to EVs. He said that the main factors include better safety standards (61%), environmental awareness (47%), lower cost to charge an EV (47%), and lower maintenance costs of an EV (42%).

Tax benefits is the leading factor to convince people from shifting to EVs

Aside from those, Vaidya highlighted that respondents see tax benefits as the most attractive financial incentive to switch to EVs. A total of 77-percent of the respondents across the region considers tax benefits as the ultimate factor to make that EV switch. Aside from tax benefits, other incentives that would encourage individuals to switch to EVs include the installation of charging stations in residential areas, priority lanes for EVs, free parking, and toll discounts.

On the other hand, range anxiety or the fear of running out of power before arriving at the charging station (48%) continues to be the most significant barrier in the adoption of an EV.

The Nissan LEAF has yet to make its debut in the Philippines

In the Philippines, there are efforts being put to push for EVs. One of which is the House Bill 4075 or the Electric Vehicles and Charging Stations Act. The said bill pushes to create a national energy policy and regulatory framework, as well as charging stations for EVs.

There’s also Senate Bill 174 or The Electric Vehicles and Charging Stations Act proposed by Senator Win Gatchalian last 2019. The said bill was substituted by Senate Bill 1382. Overall, the bill seeks to address the challenges in the development of the EV industry by mandating the Department of Energy to create an Electric Vehicle Roadmap. Moreover, Gatchalian requires private and public buildings and establishments to have dedicated parking slots with charging stations, and for gasoline stations to have a dedicated space for charging stations.

Visit Philkotse.com for more of the latest automotive news.