It’s also systems go for this year’s Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit (PEVS) slated this coming July 17-18, 2019 at the SMX Convention Center at SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City.

Organized by the main voice of the electric vehicle industry in the country, the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP), this year’s summit will continue to focus on educating the public in order to accelerate the acceptance of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) as a more mainstream mode of transport.

EVAP President Edmund Araga says that currently, infrastructure and government support is sustaining the growth of the EV industry. For example, 3,000 e-trikes from the Department of Energy (DOE) are now being deployed to various local government units. The same could be said with the deployment of e-jeepneys as part of the government’s PUV Modernization Program.

Showing their support to the homegrown electric vehicle industry, Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Hyundai will exhibit their electric vehicles. Battery maker Motolite will also unveil a new EV during the show.

“All in all, we expect about 15 vehicles to be exhibited and over a thousand visitors to visit the EV Summit daily. We will have on display the latest electric tricycles, cars, SUVs, and jeepneys participating in the PUV Modernization Program. You will even have the opportunity to test drive some of these EVs at the grounds near SMX. The best news is that if you visit the EV Summit, you might bring home an eTrike that will be the major prize in a raffle we will be conducting,” Araga says.

EVAP has also partnered with the Philippine Nickel Industries Association to explore the possibility of locally manufacturing nickel metal hydride and lithium ion batteries for automotive application. The Bureau of Philippine Standards is now busy crafting a complete set of standards for EVs that will cover parts, components, testing parameters and procedures, and safety features.

In scheduled technical sessions, public transport officials, local government representatives, members of the academe, and EV and automotive industry players are expected to discuss the issues that will help make EVs more mainstream in the Philippine setting.