Melo Villareal
Electric Vehicles (EVs) may be the future in the Philippines, but in modern cities around the world, they are already a reality and an integral part of mainstream transport. During an EV Summit earlier this year, the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (eVAP) projected that there would be at least a million EVs in Philippine roads by 2020.
Sec Petilla Riding Etaxi
One company had been silently working for the last two years to make all these plans feasi-ble and taking concrete steps to make reliable EVs available in the Philippines. BEET Philippines Inc., a subsidiary of BEMAC-Uzushio Electric Company of Japan, who holds the number one share for marine electric equipment of large ship construction undertaking more than 5,000 vessels worldwide. With headquarters in Imabari City, Japan and employing more than 1,500 employees, BEMAC-Uzushio Electric has partnered with Almazora Motors Corporation (AMC) to bring to the Philippine market a well-designed and technologically advanced EV. BEMAC’s commitment to safe-ty and excellent after-sales support program, together with AMC’s more than 100 years of experi-ence in bringing quality crafted automotive body and parts, guarantee EVs that will bring pride to the Philippine EV manufacturing sector.
Last week, BEMAC Group President and CEO Masato Oda visited Manila and met officials of Department of Energy (DOE) including Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Usec. Adrian S. Cristobal who is also the Managing Head of Board of Investments (BOI) to introduce BEMAC’s first three-wheeled EV. This is to prove that BEMAC is now ready for mass production and not just prototyping. BEMAC’s commitment to productivity will breathe new life into Philippine EV industry, improve driver lifestyles and more importantly, contribute to envi-ronmental conservation.
“Before the year ends, our plant in Carmona (Cavite) would be producing 500 units a month. This is just half of its maximum production capacity of 1,000 units per month,” added Yvonne Palomar-Castro, BEET AVP for Sales, Marketing and Operations, in an earlier interview. “We are serious and passionate about EVs. We have partnered with one of the best electric motor companies in the world and the best lithium ion battery supplier. We want to make sure that our products are well suited to Philippine road conditions, from the heat of summer to the floods of the rainy season,” Ms. Castro added.
What sets BEMAC apart from the other EV manufacturers in the country is that BEMAC has been conducting Research & Development on EVs for the last 16 years. In 2003, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) awarded BEMAC-Uzushio certification to manu-facture EV’s making them Gifu City 1st automotive manufacturer.
“Our unit is now LTO compliant and can be registered and insured. I am confident that, right now, we are most capable of mass producing EVs in the Philippines. We are ready, and we are here for the long run,” Mr. Oda ended.
