E-vehicle group lauds govt’s jeepney modernization plan

THE Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) expressed optimism on Monday for the electric vehicle industry amid the government’s impending public utility vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program that includes the iconic jeepneys.

“The Department of Transportation [DOTr] is finally on the verge of implementing this historic program for public utility vehicles which aims to drastically improve the mass transport landscape and help reduce or eventually eliminate air pollution on Philippine roads. This is because not only will the 15-year-old jeepneys be upgraded but the power train will either have to be the environment-friendly Euro 4 engines or alternative-fuel types like electric and hybrid, LPG [liquefied petroleum gas], LNG [liquefied natural gas] and CNG [compressed natural gas]. With the Duterte administration’s political will, we think this will finally happen,” EVAP president Rommel Juan said.