DoE hoping for EV sales of 50,000 units by year’s end

THE Department of Energy (DoE) said it is optimistic that the Philippines will end the year with electric vehicle (EV) sales of 50,000 units, noting that consumer acceptance of the new technology is growing.

“We’re very positive because of the numbers that we’ve seen at least as of end of September. We have more than 41,000 registered EVs,” Energy Utilization Management Bureau Director Patrick T. Aquino told reporters on Monday.

According to registration data from the Land Transportation Office, EV sales in the first nine months topped 41,000, well above the record 9,000 posted in 2024.

At present, EVs account for around 4% of the overall vehicle fleet. The Philippines is targeting nearly 312,000 units in EV sales by 2028.

“We’re optimistic that we will hit the midway point of the target through 2028, including the (target for) charging stations,” he said.

Republic Act No. 11697, or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA), authorizes the creation of the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry (CREVI). The roadmap seeks to lower the barriers hindering the EV industry.

EVIDA aims to promote the development and adoption of EVs by setting quotas for the share of EVs in corporate and government fleets, which is expected to generate more demand for EVs.

Under CREVI, the business-as-usual scenario target is a 10% EV fleet share by 2040. The clean-energy scenario target is at least 50%.

Mr. Aquino said the agency is set to conduct its midterm review of CREVI and produce an update on the progress on the EV industry.

“We are confident that with industry work and government policies, more electric vehicles and charging stations will come in next year,” Mr. Aquino said.

To fast-track the transition to electric mobility, the DoE has issued the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Development Plan Integration Circular, conducted consultations on mandatory EV charging station installation for designated establishments, and amended EV recognition guidelines, which are intended to streamline registration procedures. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera