The Philippine government is pushing for the domestic manufacture of electric tricycles and jeepneys by connecting local companies with technologies developed by universities and research institutions. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced this direction during a visit to MD Juan Enterprises in Caloocan City on August 25, where he discussed the company’s plans to enter electric-vehicle manufacturing.
According to the Philippine Department of Science and Technology, the government is considering providing the equipment and technologies needed to produce electric tricycles locally, while also planning to develop an electric jeepney. Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said that MD Juan had previously produced an electric tricycle in 2013 and 2014, but stopped the project because of weak demand at the time. Solidum believes that rising fuel prices and growing interest in electric transportation have changed market conditions.
University Technologies Move Toward Manufacturing
The Electric Mobility Research and Development Center at Cagayan State University is one of the projects that the department wants to connect with industry. The center developed an electric tricycle and a system for converting conventional tricycles to electric propulsion, and made both technologies available to investors interested in commercial production.
The university’s electric model has seven seats, and its current construction cost is estimated at approximately 600,000 Philippine pesos, or about $10,400. This amount includes research and development expenses associated with the prototype; therefore, the cost may decline when commercial production begins. Increasing production volume and automation could also reduce the labor hours required for each vehicle.
The C-Trike technology converts an existing tricycle into an electric vehicle at a cost of approximately 120,000 pesos. This gives operators the option of switching to electric propulsion without purchasing a new vehicle. The center also developed a battery-swapping system that allows a depleted battery to be replaced with a charged one instead of waiting for charging to be completed.
What Changes Practically for Operators?
This approach targets the short-distance transportation sector, as tricycles are widespread in cities and municipalities. Charging or battery-swapping stations can also be installed at terminals and fixed route endpoints. Cagayan State University worked with the University of the Philippines Diliman on the electrical and electronic systems, while the Department of Science and Technology supported the project through the Science for Change program.
The project underwent field testing; the department’s 2024 annual report stated that five units had been produced and deployed in several provinces for testing. The project also received more than 51 million pesos in government funding for work covering the vehicle’s structure and materials and its electrical systems. The university concluded technology-licensing agreements with private companies for manufacturing and distribution, while providing technical support for assembly and manufacturing.
Cost and the Supply Chain Remain Challenges
The prototype’s cost does not represent a final commercial price, but any potential reduction will depend on production volume, component and labor costs, and manufacturing efficiency. For the conversion option, the lower initial purchase cost does not eliminate the impact of batteries, charging infrastructure, maintenance, and financing on the total cost of ownership.
Local manufacturing also requires building supply chains for batteries, motors, control units, power electronics, and other components. The share of components produced within the Philippines will determine the amount of economic value the project generates locally.
certi.news reading: What is new in this development is not merely the announcement of an electric vehicle, but an attempt to move publicly funded technologies from the research and experimental-prototype stage to commercial manufacturing. The plan’s success will depend on companies’ ability to produce at volumes that reduce costs, as well as on the availability of components, charging infrastructure, and suitable financing for operators. Actual commercial prices, production volume, and the share of local manufacturing remain open questions that the source has not resolved.