The MMDA Just Banned e-Bikes on National Roads. But These Bad Boys Are Different

E-bikes have become a hot issue these days, no matter which side of the fence you're on. They've become a thing of national concern, really.

At this point, we've all heard of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA)'s Regulation No. 24-022 series of 2024. It states here that e-bikes, e-trikes, tricycles, pedicabs, pushcarts, and our dear kuligligs are banned from entering national roads, circumferential, and radial roads in Metro Manila. Bad news for e-vehicle owners, to say the least. There is, however, an exception to the rule.

Enter Gogoro Philippines, Inc., the company that has proven to be quite the electric vehicle maker. It set out to change the way we perceive e-motorcycles in the Philippine transportation landscape and it begs to differ from other e-bikes in the market. Clean, sustainable, and stylish, its electric two-wheel vehicles are the definition of the smart vehicle of the future and yes you can soon drive them on your (favorite) national road.

Since Gogoro Philippines' Smartscooters are two-wheeled vehicles capable of running much more than 50km/hr, they fall under Category L3 e-motorcycles. In other words, they've passed MMDA regulations with ease. This means that its Smartscooters, including flagship models like the Gogoro SuperSport, Gogoro Delight, and Gogoro 2 Premium, are all safe to go on national roads, circumferential, and radial roads (except in limited access highways such as expressways) in Metro Manila.

Sure, it can be difficult to transition from our beloved motorcycles to e-bikes, mostly because of tradition and maybe a little bit because of that, well, edge. But fortunately, Gogoro Philippines honors that classic cool expression, too. These Smartscooters are not bad-looking, mind you.

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Photo by GOGORO PHILIPPINES.

Smooth-handling with a premium touch, these bad boys have a sort of rugged character to them without sacrificing performance. These Smartscooters can go from 0 to 50kph in 3.9 seconds, with top speeds of 96kph and an estimated range of 100km on a single charge. Not bad at all.

The company didn't compromise on visibility and safety either. For one thing, Gogoro Philippines made sure that each of its models had a high-intensity automobile-grade headlight. This should more than suffice during cloudier, darker days. Any unflattering pre-conceived notions about its practical use should be squashed by the dual disk synchronized braking system. Taking off more of the mental load, the Auto Turn function automatically turns off blinkers when you're done with a turn.

Meanwhile, its open battery swap network allows them to act as efficiently as possible at all times. Owners can swap batteries anytime they want, eliminating those pesky downtimes electric vehicles get criticized for. The company's power-up pitstops are easily accessible along streets and cities for added convenience.

Batteries are waterproof, too, which means they can be driven even amidst heavy rain or flooding. It's also important to note that their Smartscooters have no exhaust pipes. Features like Smart Wet Mode, on the other hand, can help drivers track the weather forecast for the day. Gogoro Smartscooters can even switch to a safer acceleration curve for slippier roads.

Of course, the only catch here is that, just like any regular vehicle, you're going to have to register them with the LTO. You need a driver's license to operate them, as well. A small price to pay. Expect to see more of these Smartscooters near you come April 1st.

For more information, visit the Gogoro Experience Center on the second floor of Greenbelt 4, Ayala Center, or go to the company's official website here.