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Davao wants to attract investments in electricity-powered cars

Published: January 29, 2008   |     |     |   Subscribe: RSS or Email    

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By Germelina A. Lacorte
Davao Today

After hearing about the successful launch of the e-jeepney in Makati, Davao officials are excited about the prospects of electric-powered cars, saying it could lessen the country’s dependence on gasoline.

Both Councilors Pilar Braga, chair of the committee on energy and transportation, and Peter Laviña, of the committee on trade, commerce, and industry of the City Council said the city government wants to attract e-car manufacturing and distributorship companies to Davao, now that prices of crude oil are about to reach US$100 per barrel.

Laviña said that e-vehicles and other alternative renewable energy sources have been identified among the city’s list of preferred investment areas accorded with local tax incentives.

Braga said Davao has been inviting a number of e-vehicle companies to introduce their products to the Davao and Mindanao market. “We want the companies to come over and introduce to our people the benefits of using the electricity-powered cars,” she said, after hearing about the successful launch of the electricity-powered jeepney in Makati over the weekend.

She also said that an Australian dealer of electric motorcycles E-Motion had come over to Davao to demonstrate their product. “We’ve seen the vehicle, which is fast, serviceable and environment-friendly,” she said. “Imagine if all of us will switch to e-cars, it will surely reduce carbon dioxide emission and will reduce global warming, which has been causing great changes in our weather patterns.”

She said she believes that the mounting crude oil prices in the world market will make these e-cars a more viable option for public transport. “They will really be the vehicle of the future,” she said. Braga described the e-vehicles as “reasonably priced” and even cost lesser than ordinary cars. “One of its greatest selling point in the market is the savings that we get,” she explained.

Laviña said that gasoline expense made up 70 per cent of his total office budget last year because of the unabated increases of oil prices. “We’ve taken the budget out of our office supplies and reverted them to gasoline,” he said.

The city government’s spending on gasoline alone can reach as much as P50 million a year, with the city council consuming about P3.6 million. “But we want to see the product first, that’s why we’re inviting the companies to come over,” Braga said. (Germelina Lacorte/davaotoday.com)