Former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis Singson said he is waiting for the Department of Transportation’s approval to start the mass production of electric vehicles that will replace traditional jeepneys under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.
“I am just waiting for the go signal. It should come from the President or Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista. We are just waiting for their approval. Then we can proceed to mass production,” Singson told Manila Standard editors.
Singson said his LCS Group teamed up with the E-Mobility Group of Korea to design the prototype of electric vehicles. “The prototype has 22 seats and can accommodate an additional six standing passengers,” he said.
“The prototype is here. I invited transport groups and we tested it. It is air-conditioned and has 120-kilowatt power, higher than the 35 kW of other e-vehicles. It is powerful enough to climb the EDSA flyover. It does not move back when it stops at a steep elevation,” he said.
The 83-year-old businessman and former politician said he does not intend to profit from the electric jeepney venture but wants to help the government and the transport sector. He also offers financing to transport cooperatives with no down payment required for acquiring the vehicles.
“It is assistance, not business. While other e-vehicles cost P2.4 million, P2.8 million, or even P4 million, we will give it for only P1.2 million, or just half the price,” Singson said.
Saying he would partially subsidize the cost of the vehicles, Singson asked for the government’s assistance in providing a production site in either Clark Freeport or Subic Bay Freeport. “Otherwise, I would have to spend for land, warehouse, which is an additional cost,” he said.
“We could produce 500 to 600 electric jeeps monthly. But we need millions to replace old jeepneys all over the country,” he said.
Singson’s LCS Group also distributes electric vehicles for private ownership in the Philippines. Legado Motors Inc. (LMI), a company under the LCS Group, is the official distributor of electric vehicles manufactured by Dongfeng Motors in China.
LCS Group also teamed up with Korean shipbuilder VOGO Industries to produce wing-in-ground (WIG) craft, which can take off from the sea and travel a few meters above the water surface. He said this could be a faster means of inter-island transport in the Philippines.
“We don’t need an airport for wing-in-ground craft because it could take off and land on the water,” he said.
“I have already discussed this with the DOTr and MARINA [Maritime Industry Authority], but I have yet to hear from them. I asked them to form a technical working group to look into it, but I feel they are not interested,” he said.
“I can do it here because the engineers are here with me. But if the DOTr and MARINA are not interested, I would go to other countries that are more interested in it,” Singson said.
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