AboitizPower Launches Its Own Electric Vehicle Fleet Program
Aboitiz Power Corporation is joining the electric vehicle (EV) revolution. The company recently launched its new set of corporate plug-in EVs, kickstarting its EV fleet transformation program.
“The mobility sector has always had a history of being the highest energy-consuming sector in the country. In fact, the sector accounts for 31.3 percent of total final energy consumption with over 11 million tons of oil equivalent. Globally, it is a major contributor to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions,” said AboitizPower President and CEO Manny Rubio.
The Philippines, of course, has joined in the fight to reduce reliance on the importation of fossil fuels for transportation and electricity generation. AboitizPower's new direction is part of its efforts to support Republic Act 11697, the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA).
This fleet is meant to show how more companies can collectively reduce the dependence of the local transportation sector on imported fossil fuels. As part of the EVIDA mandate, industrial and commercial companies have to have about a 5 percent share of their fleets comprised of EVs for sustainable use. It adheres to the idea of the Philippines' transformation into an EV country.
Cotabato Light President and COO Val Saludes, Aboitiz Power Distribution Chief Technology Officer Mark Valencia, AboitizPower President and CEO Emmanuel Rubio, Davao Light President and COO Rodger Velasco, Visayan Electric Company President, and COO Engr. Raul Lucero at the unveiling in Quezon City.
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He added: “With an ever-growing demand for powered mobility, we recognize that deeper electrification of mobility is a key enabler in achieving a cleaner and more sustainable world energy system. After all, a broad range of mobility applications can be powered with electricity from cleaner or zero-emission sources.”
The said EVs were manufactured by Chinese brand BYD (Build Your Dreams). According to the company, the fleet will be deployed in franchise areas in Visayas and Mindanao, specifically at Visayan Electric, Davao Light, and Cotabato Light. This EV fleet transformation program at its Distribution Utilities department aligns with AboitizPower’s own growth strategy.
“Electrifying our fleet will help us further reduce carbon emissions, lower operating costs, and contribute to cleaner air in the cities where we operate. This way, we are also helping empower the evolution of the cities we serve,” AboitizPower Distribution Utilities COO Anton Percides added.
As it stands, AboitizPower and its partners have the largest and most diversified renewable energy platform in the Philippines, having around 1,000 megawatts of ongoing renewable energy projects. It will be adding 3,700 megawatts of renewable energy, encompassing solar, wind, and geothermal, over the course of the next decade. AboitizPower hopes to achieve "40 percent electrification" for its four-wheeled vehicles and motorbikes by 2030. By 2040, it looks to go full electric.
